Faith
by Kelyse Llewes
Summary: Sirius has always been seen as a rogue character. But there was one girl, one who stayed with him throughout his whole life. They hated and loved each other and fought to stay together time and time again. A love story spanning 40 years: Faith. R & R.
1. Home

Chapter One – Home

"Don't get your dress dirty, Faith," her mother yelled to her.

"Of course not mother." She rolled her eyes. Her mother was always worried about one thing or another. 'Don't get your dress dirty' or 'don't look over the fence, those are the Blacks over there. They are purebloods and don't want to have anything to do with us.' She didn't really understand why the Blacks were so bad.

In that household there were two boys. One was smaller than the other so there was clearly an age difference but they looked so much alike that Faith could never tell which one was which. Sometimes however there were also two girls that came over. They must have been cousins of some sort. Faith didn't like either of them. They gave her snooty looks from the high windows of the estate whenever Faith walked by. The boys were okay though, when they didn't bother her.

She went out into the backyard and sat on the little swing that her father had bought her for her seventh birthday. It was a jungle gym according to him. Her mother couldn't comprehend the contraption, but it brought a smile to the little girl's face, and that was all that really mattered. Her mother's only concern was that didn't fall off the swing. This was tricky for Faith because she loved to soar high and was prone to falling down. She would pump her tiny legs and pick up speed, sending her back and forth, back and forth. Higher and higher she would go. Some of the most exhilarating moments of her childhood were the times when she would leap off the swing and fly through the air, landing firmly on the ground with a thud.

Today Faith knew she couldn't jump though. Her mother was having company and her father was out at work until six o'clock. Her mother had a lot to do before the guests arrived so she had dressed Faith up in her pretty yellow dress with a white ribbon tied in her curled copper-brown hair. Then to get Faith out of her own hair for a while, she sent her out into the backyard to amuse herself. Sitting on the swing however wasn't very amusing to Faith.

She clicked her black-strapped shoes together, sending sand everywhere. She heard a noise then and looked up in the direction of the fence. It was a high wooden fence that separated the acre of land, which the Blacks owned from her own property. At the top of the fence however was a little boy with dark brown hair and blue-grey eyes. Faith was startled for a few moments before realizing who he was. It was clearly one of the Black children, though she couldn't make up her mind whether it was Regulus or Sirius. Just then another pair of eyes popped up beside the first two. They looked almost identical, except where one pair was more grey the other pair was bluer.

Faith raised her chin. "What do you want?" she yelled at the boys. One of them raised their own chin higher to mock Faith and she huffed. "Boys."

One of the heads disappeared and from her perch Faith could see the boy run up to the great mansion at the top of the incline. She heard him yell, "Come on Sirius, father wants us to wash before supper."

The boy who was still starring at Faith waved off his brother's calls and continued to stare.

"What are you staring at?" Faith called to the boy, irritated by his persistent manner.

"Nothing," he replied. "Just an ugly girl."

"Ugly! Why on earth would you call me that? That's not very nice."

He shrugged his shoulders. "You look like an ugly duck. How old are you?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"I'm nine and a half."

"That's nice."

"Aren't you going to tell me your age?" he prodded.

"No I'm not. Now go away."

"Will you tell me your name?"

"Not in your life."

Faith turned her head away from the fence, imagining that when she looked back his head would no longer be there. She couldn't begin to guess what he was doing asking her all these questions. She also refused to answer any of them because it was just rude. He began the conversation saying she was ugly and then expected her to fall in love with him, how typical of a pureblood.

Her mother opened the door and called her name, "Faith. Come inside dear, your father is home."

"Okay Mum." She turned back to look at the fence and noticed that the eyes were not there. _Thank goodness_, she thought. _He didn't hear my name_.

She hopped off the swing and went towards the backdoor. As she took the first step up the stairs she heard, "See ya around Faith." She whipped her head around and saw the boy, Sirius, grinning widely. She scowled and continued inside.

~*~*~*~

He scampered down from the tree stump he'd been standing on. The fence was much too high for him to see all on his own. Luckily there was the stump that stuck out of the ground at least two feet for him to hop up onto and peer over the white fence into his neighbours' backyard. He'd often looked out his bedroom window at the back of the mansion and seen the little girl next door. She looked really weird to him. He wasn't quite sure whether to categorize her as pretty or ugly. Today he'd chosen ugly. The dress she was wearing made her look super weird.

He skipped gleefully up the back lawn towards the mansion. He really did like it here. The winter home in London was far too stuffy. He was the only person in his family that found it so. The summer mansion however, it gave him the chance to run free. His brother always tottered along with him, but that didn't really matter. It still meant that Sirius was free to wander.

He went in the back door of the house and trekked his way towards the kitchens. He thought he had better wash before his mother yelled at him to wash. She was a bloody wailer and whenever he displeased her in one manner or another, she would wail and wail about his wrongdoings. He really couldn't care less though.

After he'd washed his hands, Sirius went into the den where his mother and father and brother were all waiting for him.

"Sirius," his mother said sternly, "where have you been? I believe you were told fifteen minutes ago to come inside and wash for dinner."

Regulus stood beside his mother looking very proud. Even though he was younger, Sirius thought that Regulus always seemed more grown up than he should be. It must have been all the long nights he spent with their father in the study, pruning him to go down in history as another famous Black.

"Yes mother," Sirius replied duly, "I got distracted."

"Regulus tells me you were looking over the fence again." His father looked at him with hard eyes, daring him to lie.

"Yes father, I was looking over the fence."

"Find anything interesting to look at?" his mother asked sweetly. Sirius was about to reply when she snapped, "That was a rhetorical question! How many times do we have to tell you not to look over the fence? Those are not purebloods! You are forbidden to even talk to them! Did you talk to anyone? Hmm?"

"Yes, I did." He didn't say any more. He knew he was in trouble but he liked getting his mother upset. It was an excuse to be sent to his room for the rest of the night and not have to deal with their company anymore. Which is exactly what happened. No sooner had he uttered those words he was being ushered upstairs by his father, a vice grip on his upper arm.

"Son you disappoint me. When you go off to Hogwarts perhaps the Slytherin house will tame you down from you muggle-loving ways. And if you are not chosen for Slytherin than you are a disgrace to the House of Black." He threw Sirius into his room, slamming the door shut behind him. Sirius heard the lock turn. He was always locked in his room. His father thought it prevented him from eating and then behaving the next time in order to be fed. But Sirius knew better.

"Kreacher."

POP!

"Yes Master Sirius," Kreacher muttered, bowing low.

"Kreacher, I've been locked in. Will you bring me up some food after everyone's gone to bed?"

"Of course Master Sirius."

POP!

Sirius went over to the wide window he had that looked out over the whole backyard. In the neighboring house he could see the lights on and could hear the music playing. They must have been entertaining. In one of the windows he could see the little girl, Faith, sitting on a piano stool beside her father. She sang along to the melody. He didn't like Faith, he decided, but she was certainly a fun person to torment.

He smiled at himself before flopped down on his bed, waiting the long night ahead of him. Lonely night. Peaceful night.

~*~*~*~


	2. Hogwarts

Chapter Two: Hogwarts

She walked uneasily towards the barrier. Her mother's whispers in her ear told her it would be all right, but Faith wasn't so convinced. It looked pretty solid. She pushed her cart unsteadily and just when she thought she would soon come to a dead stop and crash, she closed her eyes and nothing. She peaked one eye open, and then the other. She heard the train whistle blow and in front of her was a gleaming scarlet engine puffing thick grey smoke. She'd done it. She'd crossed Platform 9 ¾ with no help at all. She really wished her mother had been there to send her off, but she was working and her dad still felt strange around wizards.

She shrugged off her loneliness and walked towards the train. She dropped her luggage off at the luggage cart and then stepped onto the lavish train. It was only ten after ten in the morning and the train didn't leave until eleven so there were still very few people. Faith remembered her Mum telling her that everyone arrived at around ten thirty or quarter to eleven, just before the train was scheduled to leave. She heaved a sigh and found an empty compartment. She was so afraid of her first day at Hogwarts, and yet so excited at the same time.

In the empty compartment she watched people file into the platform, board the train and then wave goodbye out their windows to their parents still standing on the platform. How she wished her parents could have come with her that day. It seemed so unorthodox for them to not see her off on her first day of school. She was going to Hogwarts after all, the school where her mother had gone when she was just a girl. She could very well understand why her father did not come. It was no surprise to her that he still found the wizarding uneasy with not a lot to compare it with other than their next-door neighbours in the summer and fall months. She really had no idea where the Blacks went in the winter months and she didn't really care. They were gone and that was a good thing.

The compartment door slid open and in plopped a girl with reddish-brown hair and emerald-green eyes. Her complexion had a light sprinkle of freckles over her nose and cheeks and her teeth gleamed in the morning sunlight that shone in the compartment window.

"Hi," she said, sounding rather out of breath.

"Hello," Faith replied.

"First year?" she asked.

"Yeah, you too?"

"Yup. It's so weird though. I never knew this existed until about a month or so ago. Both my parents are non-magical." She looked into Faith's eyes, looking for some sort of gesture of friendship. The hello was sincere enough but she needed a little something more concrete she supposed.

"Ah I understand. Well if you need any assistance in working out anything, I'd be happy to help. I'm Faith, by the way, Faith Duncan." She held out her hand to the girl with red hair.

The girl smiled and replied with a wide, toothy grin, "Thanks. I'm Lily Evans. Are you…oh what's it called…"

"Pureblood?" Faith suggested.

"Yeah, that's it. Pureblood."

"No, I'm not. I know a few people who are, but I'm not. My dad's a muggle. He works in the London branch of Oxford administrators. My mum's a witch though. She works at St. Mungo's."

Lily looked confused. "St. Mungo's? Is that a church or something?"

Faith laughed and shook her head. "Goodness no, St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries."

"So it's a wizard's hospital? Well that makes sense. Your mum must be really smart to get a job there."

"Her favorite subject in school was Herbology, the study of plants, and she excelled in Potions. I guess you could say she is really smart."

"Oh dear me. I just got my wand a week ago and I'm near afraid to touch it. It's all so strange. Tell me everything please. I need help." She was shaking all over from fright.

"Calm down Lily. You'll do fine. Trust me. Your wand will become your best friend. And well as for classes and those kinds of things, I'm sure we'll become the best of friends as well and be in all the same classes. You are going to be far from alone too. Lots of kids on this very train are probably feeling the same way." Faith took Lily's hand and gave it a quick squeeze. "You'll do just fine."

A weak smile appeared on Lily's face and she said, "Thank you."

"No problem," Faith replied. "Now come on, tell me about yourself."

Lily began to spill her life's story to Faith, including all the wretched things that her sister, Petunia, had said to her right before she'd left to get onto the train. Faith didn't like the sound of Petunia. She didn't sound like her sister at all.

"She's not a very nice sister. Well, not anymore at least. Oh dear me, do you know Severus Snape?"

"Who?" Faith asked as her eyebrows knitted at the question.

"Severus Snape. He lives close to me. He's really creepy. He told me once that I was a witch though. I didn't believe him. My sister hated him. I think he goes here too now."

"You mean he goes to Hogwarts? How would you know?"

"Well think about it. When we were smaller he snuck up on me and told me I was a witch. I thought he must have been joking, but then I got my letter and it suddenly hit me. I am a witch. Is that weird?"

"He must be from a pureblood family or something because that sounds like something they would say. Except it's kind of different. My family is half-blood right, and we have some purebloods living next to us during the summer. They are all doom and gloom with their ways. They follow dark magic." She dropped her voice down to a whisper. "They seem to be a very dark family. The mother always shouts and the father is always talking about obedience and duty. I feel sorry for the boys that live there sometimes."

"There are boys living there? Like their sons or something?"

"Yeah. They both look exactly alike, but one is taller than the other by like four or five inches so I know that there's an age difference. I think one of them is starting this year, the older one, at Hogwarts."

"Wow, spooky," Lily said with a very spooky voice. She looked at Faith and then started laughing. Faith followed suit soon afterwards. They were rolling around laughing when the compartment door burst open.

Faith stopped and jerked her head towards the door. Standing in the frame were two boys, one with jet-black hair, blue eyes and glasses, and the other with dark brown hair and steel-grey eyes.

"Ladies," the one with glasses acknowledged. "Can we be of assistance?"

Lily spoke up immediately, taken off guard by the sudden intrusion on her and her friend's space. "Of course not, what could make you assume such a thing? We were doing just fine by ourselves."

Faith's eyes were still locked with the other boys'. Knowingly he nodded his head and the corners of her mouth twisted slightly upward. It was a strange reaction coming from her seen as how she really didn't like the boy she was looking at. He looked good though, far better than he had two years ago.

"Faith," he murmured.

The boy next to him spoke, "Oh so you know this girl do you Sirius. Well that's an invitation then."

Faith's gaze finally detached from Sirius's and she glared at the other boy in glasses. "An invitation to what? Knowing your not wanted and getting out? If that's what you thought then by all means, exit now."

"Feisty," he replied.

Lily stared him down along with Faith. "Leave now, please, or we'll have more than words with you." She threateningly reached inside her robes. She didn't pull out her wand, but Faith knew that the bravado would only last so long if the boys didn't leave sooner or later.

"Come on James," Sirius said swiftly, pulling the sleeve of his friend's robes out to compartment door. "They've had enough of us. Let's check out some other compartments."

Faith looked at Sirius and he winked. She rolled her eyes and slumped back onto the seat. "Whoa."

Lily did the same thing on the opposite seat. "Whoa indeed. Did you know those guys?"

"Only one of them. Sirius was the one with no glasses and he lives next door to me. That other boy, James, he was a mystery to me. But Sirius is one of the little boys I was telling you about."

"Oh," Lily replied shortly. "Do you…do you like him at all?"

"What?" Faith asked, shocked at the implication. "No. Of course not."

"Well I mean he looked really weird there for a second. Like he had almost been waiting to see you." Lily had seen it in the split second that she had looked away from James' testing eyes. It's been written on Sirius's face plain as day.

"Yeah right. I don't think so. Do you know what the first thing he said to me was?"

"No, but I suppose you're going to tell me right?"

"He said he was staring at an ugly girl."

Lily scrunched her nose briefly. "Ugh, that's boys for ya though. They are really dense sometimes." Faith looked at her incredulously. "Ok fine. They are really dense all the time."

Faith sat up and said, "Thank you. Now I don't want to have any more nonsense of this Sirius boy liking me. He's a pureblood for goodness sake. He couldn't possibly be interested in little 'ole half-blood me."

Lily smiled and said, "Quite right."


	3. Hogsmeade

**Chapter Three: Hogsmeade**

O.W.L.s Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations

"Oh lovely," Faith muttered underneath her breath looking up at the board.

Lily seemed to notice and replied, "Don't worry about it. I'll help you out."

Faith smiled back at her. She'd come a long way from the scared little eleven-year-old muggle born witch on the train. Now she was the top-achieving student out of all the fifth years, as well as the Gryffindor prefect.

"I just need help with Potions and I'll be all right," Faith whispered back. On the other side of her sat Remus Lupin, another constituency member. Said constituency was what the boys commonly referred to as the Marauders. Faith never paid any mind to that nonsense. She knew about their secrets but it didn't matter, she was glad that there was some adventure in her life.

"What's wrong Faith?" Remus asked her quietly, nudging her side playfully. "OWLs getting to ya already?"

Faith made a face and he chuckled lightly. "You'll do fine. You're up there in pretty much everything. Even potions."

"How would you know?"

"Ask Lils. She would know. She's a Slughorn favorite you know." He looked across the table to where Lily was sitting. She was hard at work on her Defence Essay and hardly paying any attention to Faith and Remus.

"Yeah I suppose so. I just really want to do my Mum proud. You know?"

"Yeah, I know hun," he said warmly, putting his arm around her shoulder, a completely platonic gesture between friends.

Faith smiled and put quill to parchment once more. Astronomy was her worst subject but thankfully she didn't need it for her future career path.

Across the small table from Lily, Remus and herself, Faith noticed a pair of strapping boys, soon becoming men, playing a quite game of wizard's chess. It was supposed to be a study period but knowing those two as she did, she ignored them as best they could.

Remus looked up from his book and made a comment however, the very one that Faith had been contemplating moments ago. "James, Sirius, shouldn't you be studying or something? OWLs, remember?"

"Oh hush Remus," James sniggered silently. "You're always on us like you were our mother. What's it to you?"

"Hmph, never mind then," Remus said, giving up.

"Good call Moony," Sirius said, "Good call. Give up while you're ahead, eh."

"Sirius, do shut up," Faith said shaking her head back and forth.

Lily bumped Faith's arm and rolled her eyes. Faith's smile spread across her face and she went back to her work.

~*~*~

"Are you serious, Padfoot?" James asked, blown away by the notion. "You're seriously not joking?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Sirius said. "I've been thinking about it for a while actually."

"You mean the whole while you were dating Patricia LaMotte?"

Sirius pushed James across the corridor in disgust. "Trish knew it was never going to work out between her and me. It was better we called it quits then when I was still thinking about asking out Faith rather than after eh?"

"Faith Duncan though? I mean she doesn't really seem your type. You go for-"

"-I go for who James? Anyone who takes interest? I do not. I just haven't had enough courage to ask her out yet. But now I'm gonna."

"You're insane."

"As are you my friend. How long have you been pining over other girls while Lils is still single? I know you're head over heels for her. Why don't you ask her out huh?"

"I'm weighing my options before I do anything drastic," James replied smoothly, as though he'd rehearsed that very answer.

"Ha! Bullshit. No way man, you are not fooling me that easily. You are so full of it!"

"Leave me be," James joked. "Go ask out your faithful Faith and we'll see how gallant we are after she's rejected you."

"She won't reject me," Sirius said confidently. "She can't resist my charm." He brushed his fingers through his hair dramatically and then shook his head, allowing his wavy locks to fall where they may.

James' eyes widened. "Oh dear me. Here he goes again, getting all jacked up just to get cut down."

"Excuse me, when have I ever been cut down?"

"Oops, sorry. I don't have enough fingers to count." He held up his hands to show his fingers, and then pushed Sirius down the hall. "Good luck. Don't come crying back to me."

Sirius waved his hand and said, "Yeah whatever."

He'd been bucking up the courage to do this for quite some time now. He was really nervous when it came to Faith. She was beautiful and intelligent and he didn't know how to handle her. He'd handled beautiful girls before and intelligent girls before, but never both at the same time. He was beginning to feel really lousy about his date life. Faith was different though. Not only did he know her from when she was a little girl, but also in school too. She was a fierce friend and Lils could attest to that. She was a brilliant student and fearless in the classroom. She was sweet and generous and caring. He could find all he needed in her. He just hoped that she felt at least 1/3 that way for him, with any luck at all.

~*~*~

"Faith. Faith! Wait up."

He caught up to her just as she was about to walk into the great hall for lunch. She hadn't eaten much at breakfast due to nerves and now she figured that she wouldn't eat much for lunch either, not with the way things were moving. And they were moving right towards her in the shape of the tall and handsome Sirius Black. It had taken her little over two years to see how he really was. He was fun loving and mischievous at times. He was loyal to his friends to the very end, especially James. They went everywhere together and did almost everything together. His respect and loyalty for James should have been that of true family. He hated his family though, and Faith reckoned they hated him right back for getting into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin. His younger brother was in Slytherin and they never spoke to each other.

"All right, I'm waiting, what would you like Sirius?" She questioned him as nicely as she could manage. She hadn't entirely warmed up to him over the years. There was still that foreboding Black blood that ran through his veins that screamed 'PUREBLOOD'. It was hard to forget.

"Well can you wait for a man to catch his breath?" He bent over, hands on his knees. He had been running all the way down to the great hall since the seventh floor. He had wanted to catch Faith before she went in for lunch, and as luck would have it, she was right at the door as he was coming down the last flight of stairs.

She laughed, "So catch it already. Have you been running a marathon?"

He chuckled as he stood up straight again, looking directly into her sea-blue eyes. "Nah, I just wanted to talk to you."

"Oh."

"Well, ask you something actually."

"Oh?" Her heart beat faster and faster. She'd been almost waiting for this moment. She saw a vein pulse in his neck and her eyes widened. Though he was sweating due to his athletic run down the stairs, she would bet 10 galleons that he'd been sweating still had he not been running.

"Yeah…um…well I was wondering if you'dliketogotoHogsmeadewithme." He slurred the words together to get them out before he lost his nerve.

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" she had heard every word as clear as a bell but at the same time she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Sirius took a deep breath and said slowly, "Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me? You know, tomorrow?"

Her mouth went up and down not able to make up it's mind whether to scream or smile. She finally determined that smiling would be encouraging and grinned. "Sure, that'd be great."

Sirius did a double take. Did she say yes? Did she just agree to go out with him? "Really?"

Faith nodded, "Yeah, why not? Sounds like it'll be fun."

"Oh, okay then. Can I meet you somewhere before we go or something?"

"Didn't think it out that far did ya?" He smiled and shrugged and she said, "Okay well, why don't we all have breakfast down here at nine and then leave at around ten? Does that sound good to you?"

He nodded, "Yeah, super."

"Great, I'll see ya later then eh? Or are you coming in to have lunch?" she stuck her thumb over her shoulder towards the great hall and his smile stretched from ear to ear.

Thinking it would be a great time to lay down some groundwork he almost started to accept her offer. "Uh, no thanks. I said I'd meet James out on the pitch for some Quidditch stuff. You can join us out there afterwards if you want."

"Sure, I just might do. See ya later then." She turned and walked into the great hall. The food smelled delicious as she sat down and put a few potatoes and sandwiches on her plate. It smelled delicious but all she could really think about was Sirius. His handsome face and sincerity astounded her. Maybe she had misjudged him after all.

~*~*~

"Dude, she said yes?" James asked, gawking at his friend's appearance.

Sirius hadn't told James about his success with Faith so when he came downstairs to have breakfast the next morning he was wearing a black long-sleeved t-shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans. His hair was swept back using just the skill of his fingertips. He nodded to and James continued to gawk at him.

"Damn. I would never have figured that Duncan would do that. She always seemed like she hated you."

"Apparently not."

They were sitting down to breakfast at the Gryffindor table when Faith walked in wearing a baby-blue turtleneck sweater and dark blue jeans. Her hair was pulled up in a loose ponytail. Following her closely was Lily Evans, looking equally devastating in a pale yellow zip-up sweater and blue jeans.

Faith was quick to walk over to the boys so they didn't have enough time to get stand up for her sake. She sat down beside Sirius and grabbed a cup of pumpkin juice and a piece of toast.

Sirius couldn't believe his eyes. She was gorgeous. Everything she was wearing just made her look that way. It was as if she glowed in the morning light. Without knowing consciously what he was doing he moved closer and closer to her. He then whispered into her ear, "You look beautiful."

Faith had been paying very close attention to Sirius's movements but when his voice came out of nowhere claiming she was beautiful she nearly jumped out of her seat. She turned to find his face seven inches from hers. She moved back slightly and replied, "Thank you."

Remus and Peter came up behind the four sitting at the tables and Remus said, "We'd better get a move on, the carriages are about to leave."

Faith was up in seconds and Sirius soon afterwards. They were both in a hurry to get out of the school. What awaited them in Hogsmeade neither could guess. Faith was hoping things wouldn't get too out of hand. She was still afraid of Sirius, even if it was now only a very small fraction. Sirius was wondering what his next move could be. Did he put his arm around her shoulder? No, that would give off the wrong message. Did he grab her hand sneakily while they were walking down main street Hogsmeade? Maybe, he thought, that wouldn't be too bad. Did he kiss her today? Goodness knew he wanted to, but he didn't know whether or not she'd be ready for that.

In Hogsmeade everyone went their separate ways and that left Faith and Sirius standing together at the head of Hogsmeade Main Street. At the same time they turned to one another and said, "Where do you want to go?" Simultaneously they started laughing.

Faith spoke up out of her giggles and said, "I don't really care where we go."

Sirius nodded his head in understanding and said, "Ok, well let's just meander shall we?" Stuffing his hands in his pockets he started to walk down the street with Faith following to catch up.

It was a casual afternoon. They wandered in and out of all the shops in Hogsmeade, and only when they came to O'Reilly's Treasures was Faith tempted to buy something. It was an opal necklace set in sterling silver. It had no magical properties; it was just a simple muggle necklace that had thousands of different colors in the white center stone.

She saw it in the window and was immediately nose-to-nose with the glass. "Oh!" she said exuberantly. "It's beautiful."

Sirius saw the necklace and agreed with her, "Yes it is. Would you like it?"

Faith looked up at him curiously, "You're serious?"

"Yes, I am. Would you like me to buy it for you?" Sirius wanted to give her something to commemorate their first date together. It was perfect and from the looks of it, she would always adore it.

"Well…" she was reluctant. It was beautiful and she couldn't help but imagine it around her neck. But saying she wanted it that way would be too much like asking for it. "Would you like to buy it for me?"

Sirius could tell he wasn't going to get a straight answer from her. "Stay right there," he said. "Don't move an inch."

He went into the store and Faith watched through the front window as the shop owner came and got the necklace and a few minutes later Sirius was coming out with a beautifully wrapped daisy yellow box wrapped with white ribbon.

Faith smiled, "You know it didn't need to be wrapped."

Sirius laughed, "Yeah I know. But the wrapping reminded me of something. That first time I talked to you."

"You mean the time when you called me ugly?" she laughed.

"Yeah that was the time. You were wearing a pretty yellow dress and had a white ribbon tied in your curls. I can see it now that you were nowhere near ugly. You were beautiful."

Faith turned the shade of dark pink and tried to turn away. She was so embarrassed. And not only that, but she was embarrassed about being embarrassed. Sirius caught her shoulders between he two hands however and turned her back. Her head was down and then one of his hands slowly lifted her chin. "You are beautiful," he said softly, "even when you're embarrassed."

He lifted her chin and moved down towards her in the same movement. Faith caught her breath and could feel her heart pounding. "Sirius…" she whispered.

"Shhhh," he whispered back before his lips touched hers for her very first kiss.


	4. Hostility

**Chapter Four: Hostility**

"Yoo-hoo! Sirius Black. Where on earth have you been?"

Sirius groaned. Ever since he'd been dating Faith, Patricia LaMotte had been around every corner, just waiting for a time when he would be alone. He hated it when she did manage to corner him. The mutual feeling of their previous breakup he guessed was not entirely shared by Trisha. She shadowed his every step when Faith wasn't around. He couldn't get a moment's piece.

He turned to face the girl who had just crooned his name as if she was singing to the very sun. She was a very good-looking girl with pin-straight bleach-blonde hair and sharp honey eyes. Sirius had been in serious like with her for a while, but she wasn't what he was truly looking for. They'd broken up about three months ago now, a month before he and Faith had gone out. Her looks counted for nothing when she hadn't the brains to go with her beauty. Faith had that.

"Sirius Black, tsk, tsk. You haven't been keeping in touch hun. I would have thought you'd be begging to come back to me." She batted her long eyelashes at him and smiled sweetly.

Sirius snorted and rolled his eyes. "Come on Trish. We both agreed that we weren't right for each other. What is this all about?"

She plucked at her blonde hair and said lazily, "Oh, well I've had a change of heart. I really do adore you."

"You do know I'm with someone else now, do you not?" He shoved his hands in his pockets in frustration. If she continued to aggravate him he was likely to throttle her.

"Oh yeah. What's her name again, Faith something or other? Yeah she's all right I guess. But I know you want me. It's so obvious." She slinked closer to him such as a cat would slink towards a mouse caught in a corner. And Sirius felt exactly like that, a mouse cornered with not so much as a decent escape.

"Keep dreaming Patricia," Sirius said, nearly snarling the words. She was getting closer and was making Sirius more and more uneasy. It wasn't that he was afraid she would do something, but rather he was afraid of himself, doing something he might one day regret.

She stuck out her lower lip and pretended to start pouting. However with each whimper she moved a step closer to Sirius' body. "Come on Sirius," she whined. With her hands suddenly on his arms Sirius knew then he was in trouble. Why didn't he run? He knew he should. It would be the right thing to do.

Trish's arms went up and around Sirius' neck and she latched on to him firmly. Sirius still had his hands in his pockets; still _safe_ in his pockets. "Come with me baby," she crooned once before attaching her lips to his. The passion was there, the need was there, and even the want was there for Trish.

But for Sirius there wasn't any of that. There was no passion and there was no need, and there definitely was no want. He didn't want any of this. His immediate reaction was pulling his hands out of his pockets and pushing her away. He gripped her shoulders and glared menacingly into her eyes. "What the hell, LaMotte? What is wrong with you?"

Trish smiled and said, "You liked it, admit it."

"The hell I did. Now you stay far away from me, you hear? If I ever see you around me again I swear to God. Now go away!" He brushed past her and continued on his way. His day had started off good and now it was just lousy. How was he going to tell Faith? Would he tell Faith?

No, he decided, it wasn't worth telling her. It was only a kiss, right?

~*~*~

Faith sat in the Gryffindor common room watching the snowfall outside. It had just turned cold as November drew upon them and the snow now covered the ground, blanketing it with white flakes. Faith had become distracted in her own thoughts and the snow out the window. It had been two months, two whole months, and she and Sirius were still blissfully happy.

It had been an easy decision the next time Sirius asked her out on a date. After that, progressively, he and Faith had gotten to grow closer to each other. It wasn't the typical 'lip-lock love' that Faith saw many of her classmates having. This was something more serious than that. Both Sirius and herself saw this relationship as more than a fling; it was more of a commitment to them, even though it had only been going on for two months.

The second date that her and Sirius had was much like the first except they made their way to a small café in Hogsmeade where they sat and talked about their personal lives, divulging any secrets they could think of. Sirius had said it to her point blank, "I have been trying to ask you out for a while, but I could never figure out how. I think…I think you're a really interesting and fascinating person. Can we get to know each other?"

It was really sweet of him and Faith smiled at the memory. She of course had answered, "Yes." He told her he didn't want to rush her, that he respected her, and wanted to take things slow. And slow was how they took it. Faith was beginning to think that the feelings she was starting to have for Sirius would last forever.

Resuming her homework and putting quill to parchment once more Faith was surprised when Lily suddenly burst through the Portrait hole.

"Lily? What's wrong?" Faith asked.

Lily looked a bit apprehensive, and almost guilty. "I…well…er…"

"Um…well that was vague," Faith laughed.

Lily's mouth cringed and she sat down beside Faith at the table. Putting her book bag on the table she began again, "I…well…I have something to tell you."

"I gathered."

"It's about…Sirius."

"What about Sirius?" Faith asked. She wasn't at all surprised that Lily had yet another thing to tell her about Sirius. James told Lily nearly everything when he had the chance, even though they weren't the best of friends. Lily was always digging up some interesting fact or another about Sirius' life.

"I just saw him…er…"

"Saw him do what? Or doing what? Lily come on, tell me what happened." Faith prodded her friend's psyche, wanting to truly have a complete answer. Lily's stuttering and mumbling were irritating her, and it didn't make a hitch of sense.

"I saw him kind of snogging Patricia LaMotte." Her eyes were as solemn as they could get. Seriousness was written all over her face.

Faith's smile faded to a frown. She didn't understand, no, couldn't believe what she was hearing. "What? He couldn't have been? How?"

"I just saw him like ten minutes ago. He and Patricia were mouth to mouth and it didn't look like she was trying to resuscitate him. It was a full-out-on-the-mouth-kiss. I kid you not hun. I am so sorry."

Lily reached out to take Faith's hand. Faith pulled it away abruptly. "No. No you have to be wrong. You must have seen someone else with Sirius."

Lily was shaking her head, "No Faith, I know what I saw."

"No! It's not true."

Faith jumped up and ran to her room. Lily wouldn't follow her. She couldn't listen to it anymore. Sirius snogging Patricia LaMotte? How could it be? He was going out with her, Faith. He was being disloyal. It couldn't have been Sirius. It just couldn't.

~*~*~

"Are you out of your bloomin' mind?!?!"

Taken aback Sirius replied, "What was that for?"

"You," James said, pointing his finger, "Have just ruined about the most decent relationship I have ever seen."

"What are you on James? What are you talking about?"

"You, Sirius Black, are an idiot. How could you have done such a thing? Faith is such a nice girl and then you double-cross her with Patricia. She's the last person you should have ever hurt. Now look what you've done." James had heard everything from Lily when he walked into the common room just minutes before. She had been sitting at the table by the window, head in her hands. She looked troubled. James, naturally, went to relieve her troubles when she then revealed that the troubles were not hers, but Faith's. She then proceeded to tell James what she had seen as well as what had happened when she told Faith.

"Who told you that?" Sirius said, face ashen and eyes wide.

"Lily. She saw everything Sirius."

Sirius frowned and replied, "She could not have then if that's what you think. Trish came at me. She kissed me. I had my hands in my pockets the whole time. You can not think this of me!"

"I can and I will. You had best hope that Faith forgives you because if she doesn't so help me god." He raised his fist at Sirius. They had been like brothers since day one on the train, but this was below the belt. James knew that Sirius was a ladies-man, but after hearing all about how he was in serious like with Faith he thought those days were behind him. There was not a sweeter girl on the planet than Faith and Sirius' little fault today might very well have ruined any chances he had with her.

"God!" Sirius shouted, running up the corridor towards the common room. Lily had only seen the kiss that Patricia had forced on Sirius. That must have been why James thought he'd been snogging Trish. It was one kiss. Now Lily had gone and told Faith, and James, that Trish had been practically on top of him. This was bad, very bad. He couldn't let misunderstanding ruin this.

When he reached the portrait hole he shouted the password, "_Devil's Snare_", and it swung open for him. Inside, Lily sat by the fireside now, book in hand. "Where is she?" Sirius said.

Lily looked up briefly from her book to give him the most evil glare he had ever seen on her face. "What's it to you? You're perfectly content to kiss just about any girl other than Faith."

"Now wait just a minute. Trish kissed me. You only saw a part of it. You've got it all wrong!"

"I saw what I saw and that's that. I told Faith too because I don't want my best friend being cheated on by a blonde-haired twig!" She slammed her book shut and got up and left.

Sirius' temper was now flaring. Everyone was getting it wrong. He had to talk to Faith. He skipped two stairs at a time to get up to the girls dorms. He knocked on the door, knowing full well that he could not enter without admission first. There was no answer. He knocked again, this time calling out her name. Through the door he heard her footsteps coming towards the door. He stepped back as the door flung open. Her eyes were red, the skin around her face blotchy, evidence of crying.

"Oh no. What have I done?" he whispered after seeing her appearance. Not only was her face red but also her hair was disheveled and her clothes were askew.

"Damn right, what have you done indeed? How could I have trusted you? You were never serious about this from the start were you? Did you just get fed up? Was I not good enough for you? What happened to 'Can we get to know each other?' huh? Have you had enough?" She was ranting, yelling, trying to get the truth from her now ex-boyfriend on why the hell he had been caught cheating on her.

She'd spent the better part of the last half hour crying in her dorm room. There was nothing more to do. She cast aside the thought that Lily had been lying, that she had seen something else, and the fact that it might not have been what Lily thought it was. She came to the fact that Sirius was a ladies-man and a pureblood. She should have trusted her first instincts of fear when he had asked her out all those months ago. He couldn't seriously be interested in her; it was just against his nature, against his blood.

"Faith, please, please listen to me. You've got it all wrong. Lily only saw part of it."

"Part of what exactly? Part of the snog-fest you and Patricia LaMotte were having? Huh?"

"That's not how it was. Patricia is jealous. She came up to me and kissed me. She was taunting me-"

"And so you gave in? I should have known. How foolishly naïve I was, thinking that this, what we had these past two months would be real, let alone last." She was falling, falling really hard. It had all come down to this. Blood. Fighting. Hostility.

Sirius couldn't believe what he was hearing. One little act and she had already chosen the rest of her life and it would not include him. She had kicked him out completely and yet he was still head over heels for her. "No Faith, don't say that. Please, give me another chance. This was one time and I've told Trish not to come near me ever again. Let's start over again, please."

"Why should I give you that chance? You're bound to slip-up again. Give in to temptation; be taunted once more by some more attractive pureblood. Is that what appeals to you, blood and looks?"

"No-"

"You know what," she interrupted, "Don't even. I should not have expected more of a pureblood. Get out of my face Sirius. I don't want to hear it." She sighed and gave him one last look. She wouldn't listen to any more. She didn't want to listen to any more. What more could he say?

Sirius' mouth hardened and he bit his lip to keep from yelling at her. She was making a mistake. She was acting too hastily. If she begged for a second chance he might be willing to reconsider, but he wouldn't take this abuse. He would not be blamed for crimes his parents had been accused of: blood before life. "Fine," he said. "Then, for what its worth, I'm sorry." He turned and walked to his dorm.

Faith shut her door and then feeling once again protected in her sanctuary she melted to the floor and held still as a single tear fell down her cheek.


	5. Happiness

**Chapter Five: Happiness**

The school was in celebration. All around were school colors and diplomas. The food was delicious as only a Hogwarts farewell should have, and there were hugs and kisses all around for everyone in the graduating class. Faith, gleeful and all smiles, was sitting by herself at the moment, fiddling with her pointed wizards hat and wondering what to do next. She'd gone up in front of the school and received her diploma, which clearly stated that she had graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Class of 1978. She was half excited and half worried out of her mind. She was being thrown headlong into another world and it was the worst time to do it.

Voldemort was on the rise. He was gathering followers and a lot of people had already been killed. People like her mother. Her mother had been killed just a year earlier, and though Faith still had her father, it wasn't the same, as anyone could imagine. Lily had been there when Faith found out the news and she went with her to the funeral as well. There was no casket, no image of what her mother was. There was just a service with all her mother's friends gathered around a single picture of her mother. It was a gloomy day for Faith and the months that came afterwards were some of the loneliest of Faith's life.

But she couldn't be thinking about her mother's death. Not on a day like this. Lily came up to her just then and sat down. "Faith, isn't it exciting? We're no longer students. We don't have to go to school anymore. Goodness there are so many books outside these walls that I have yet to read."

Faith laughed. "Oh dear, Lily. Leave it to you to find a book as soon as you're out of school. Where are you going to get all these marvelous books of yours?"

Lily's eyes sparkled, "Well I really want to go to Egypt to find some of them. Ancient treasures and hieroglyphs, what could be better?"

"What indeed," Faith replied. "What does James think about this idea then?"

"Oh well he'll just have to live with it won't he? James will learn."

"What will I learn?" James interjected, coming up to the table and sitting down with the girls.

Faith turned to James and said, "Lily wants to join the circus and live the life of a performer."

He looked at her for a second before breaking into a wide grin. "Ah, I see. Well then I shall just have to support her chosen profession, now won't I?"

"I am not becoming a performer, I'm not joining the circus, and what makes you think you have any say in my life?" She looked at James.

His eyes joked at her, but there was also something else, something secret. "Let's just say I have your best interests at heart," he laughed. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"Yeah," Lily chuckled, "right."

Lily and James had been an item for quite a while now. James had calmed down and had been causing less trouble of late and Lily had finally realized that James wasn't an all that bad person to be around. James had been very suave for their first date and acted really casual and sweet. Lily had spent the better part of that night describing it to Faith in their dorm room. They had laughed and 'awed' at all of James' mishaps and achievements for that small, celebrated occasion.

Faith looked up across the great hall and caught a pair of blue-grey eyes in her gaze. They were staring intently at her. She sighed and looked away as quickly as she could, though still trying to make it look like a relaxed movement. Sirius Black still irritated her beyond belief. He had never asked her out again after the disaster in their fifth year. Faith avoided him and whenever he was hanging out with James and Faith was around he would make an excuse to leave. Their fight in their fifth year had been there last and neither one had sought out the other to try and reconcile.

Faith had, at last, come to admit the fact that Sirius had been telling the truth. Lily even contested to that fact after Faith had told her about their quarrel. Patricia had been the bad guy the entire time and Faith had blamed it all on Sirius. She wouldn't admit it to him though. She wasn't brave enough for that sort of thing. It didn't matter however, because Sirius had never tried to confront her again.

She got up saying, "I think I'm going to take a walk." Lily and James watched her then walk through the throng of people towards the main doors.

~*~*~

James marched straight towards Sirius as soon as Faith had left. Sirius rolled his eyes because he knew if he didn't say something, James was going to give him a lecture; the same lecture he'd been giving him for months. Sirius found himself constantly in this situation and yet he never seemed to do anything about it. He felt as if there was some invisibly string keeping him from telling Faith he still liked her. James had cut at that string for months and it never seemed to separate. What was he still holding on to?

He would even go as far as saying that he loved Faith, but he couldn't be sure. He wouldn't say that either, not to her. She would just brush him off, just as she had done two years ago. He couldn't go to her. She still believed that they wouldn't last because of their families, because of blood.

Sirius turned around as James approached him, wishing that he could just disappear, as he had done for many years. James was his best mate, and they shared everything with each other. Even after Sirius had run away from home he had gone to James'. He knew James was right of course. He knew what James would say too. It would be about Faith. He only wished that Faith had faith that some things in life did work out.

He knew about her mother and how hard it had hit her. He had wanted to comfort her, but how? It was beyond him to even reach for that. She rejected him, the very idea of him, right down to his flesh and bone substance. Why would she want comfort from him?

Sirius ran his fingers through his shoulder length hair, sighing in frustration. He hadn't heard James behind him so when he heard James' voice saying, "Yeah, I know what you mean," he jumped.

Sirius turned, "How would you know? How could you know? You have Lily, who do I have?"

James leaned up against the wall and crossed his arms. "Did you ever give in to the thought that neither of you thought to talk to each other again because you were afraid of being rejected again, both of you? Faith is a simple girl Sirius, brought up under simple terms. You should have been there when her mother died, but you were both too stubborn to say boo. Give it up now would ya? Go after her. You know you want to."

"What if she says no? What if she won't even talk to me?" Sirius held out his hands expectantly, almost wanting James to lay the answers in his palms for him to believe they were tangible.

"You first have to get rid of the idea she won't talk to you. Then you have to go talk to her about how you feel. Then comes the yes or no answers. One step at a time Sirius. And besides, Faith's a sweetheart, you know she won't say no to simply talking to you." James nodded his head as if to emphasize his point.

Sirius shook his head slightly, giving in to James' words and said, "Fine, I'll try. I'll probably wallow in regret if I pass this chance up anyways."

"That's right," James said, slapping his friend on the shoulder, "and if that were to happen, it's best you know that I wouldn't let you wallow on my parents couch for the rest of your life."

"Yeah, you're right."

"Of course I am. Now go." He shoved Sirius in the direction of the main entrance.

Sirius shuffled in the main entrance towards the doors and once outside he looked around in the dark, looking for Faith.

~*~*~

Sitting by the lake in the late June night, Faith found solace. The moon shone and there were a few select stars scattering the sky. It was a magical night at Hogwarts. She smoothed her graduation dress over her legs and had sat down on the warm grass; enjoying what time she had left at her favorite place in the whole world. Hogwarts had been her home for the past seven years and now she was going out into the world to discover her own, shaking and trembling the entire way.

A twig snapped behind her and she whirled on the spot, looking backwards into the moonlit night. There was a shadowy figure striding towards her, smooth and easy steps, the confidence of only one person she knew. It was Sirius.

A smile drew over her face as she realized who it was. Her heart then calmed down and then sped up. Her immediate thought was some strange creature prowling the night towards her, but then relief flooded her being. Now as the relief subsided she became aware of why he might be coming towards her in the night. He hadn't done that in almost two years.

"Can I join you?" his voice called to her in the night, the velvet folds of his tone wrapped her in warmth.

"Sure," she said coolly, trying her darndest to mask her nervousness.

"Thanks." He sat down beside her. "It's too crowded in there. I had to get away."

"Me too."

"Hmm." A silence fell between the two of them. Sirius' thoughts were now too mixed up being beside her again; he couldn't think of how to begin. "Faith-"

"Sirius-"

They had both stuttered each other's names at the same time.

"You go first," Sirius said.

"No, you go first," Faith, insisted.

"Okay." Sirius had the spotlight now. What was he going to say though? "I…well…I wanted to…um…"

"Yes?" Faith's gentle smile warmed the cockles of his hardened heart. Building up a resistance against her had done him no good. She could still make him melt.

"I wanted to tell you that…that I want to ask you out again."

"Oh. You do?"

"Yes. No. Wait…I don't know." Now he couldn't make up his mind. He loved her too much to just want to ask her out again, but he knew that telling her that might overwhelm her. He had to start from the beginning, from scratch.

"You'll need to be more specific Sirius. I can hardly understand what you're talking about."

"I know. I'm all over the place, aren't I?" She nodded her response. "Well, perhaps you could tell me what you were thinking, until I get my thoughts in order."

"Okay." She would say it, just like that. She needed to say it. In the few seconds being with him again, it had made her realize what she had been missing. It wasn't her mother, though she missed her mother a lot, it was instead something deeper, something stronger. It was something she had felt since she was a little girl. Subconsciously, even through their differences, Faith had feelings for Sirius, and she could no longer deny them.

"First of all, I'm sorry for that whole Patricia thing in our fifth year," she began. He opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off, "No, don't say anything until I'm finished, please?" He nodded his agreement. "Thank you. I misjudged you Sirius and I want to apologize. You deserved a second chance and I refused to see it. I guess I'm a little more stubborn than I thought. Can you forgive me?"

As she was apologizing a smile began to form on his lips. It was as if she could read his mind. Without thinking on what he was doing, he leaned in towards her and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. "Apology accepted."

She blinked once, and then twice, and then threw her arms around his neck. "I knew you would. Somehow, even with all my doubts and misgivings, I knew you would see it."

"You knew that I would see that you loved me?" he guessed.

She pulled back and looked into his eyes. "Yeah," she said softly, "I guess I did."

He brushed a strand of her hair across her forehead and replied, "Then did you know that it's the same for me."

"I somehow knew you didn't quite hate me," she said.

"I've never hated you Faith, I've just misunderstood you. You were the first girl I called ugly and the first girl I truly called beautiful. And I do love you."

"You do?" Faith smiled. She couldn't believe it. Sirius Black loved with her. And she loved with him.

"I do. Forgive me for not telling you sooner?"

"Only if you can forgive me for not telling you sooner?" she replied.

"Of course I can," he said, placing another kiss on her delicate lips. "I love you Faith."

Happiness flooded her body. Facing the truth had been the hardest, easiest and best thing she had ever done. Now she kissed him back every time he kissed her. She hugged him back every time he hugged her. She forgave his faults and loved him as a whole. Faith was in love and she couldn't have been happier.


	6. Harry

1**Chapter Six: Harry**

"Faith, get your butt moving. We're late as it is." Sirius yelled at his fiancée from the door, willing her to get down the stairs this very instant. In a white dress shirt and faded blue jeans he willed Faith to hurry up. They had received the howler from the Potters just a few minutes ago and then they were speeding around their flat, getting their things together.

"I'm coming Sirius, damnit. Can't you understand a woman's prerogative to look her best?" Sirius watched as she floated down the stairs in a beautiful white sundress and matching heels.

Sirius's gaze narrowed on her, "Never have and never will. Your best friend is going into labour and you want to look your best. Do you know how that will make Lily feel?"

"Oh ha, ha. She probably won't even notice. She'll be in so much pain and then be overjoyed by her new baby she'll hardly care." She slipped her evening coat on and brushed her hair into Sirius's face, just to annoy him.

"They why do you?" he growled, hot on her heels.

They raced through the streets of London, making their way to the Leaky Cauldron. Sirius was anxious to get to a fireplace, as was Faith.

"Remind me again, why do we not have a fireplace? We're probably the only flat in London that doesn't have one." Faith asked while hopping up and down trying to remove her strappy heels. They were killing her feet no doubt.

"Beats me. We'll move when we get married, okay? We'll get a nice big fireplace then, with lots of stone and ornamentation."

"Ornamentation? What century are you living in?" Faith laughed.

"The nineteen century I believe. Take hold of my hand. You have no one but yourself to blame for wearing those blasted shoes you know?" Sirius rounded the corner and saw the Leaky Cauldron. "We're almost there."

"Thank god. Yeah, I know it's my own fault. But if we had a fireplace we wouldn't have to run to the Leaky Cauldron to Floo out of there. We'd be able to go straight to James and Lily's from our own home."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Sirius whipped open the door and hurled them inside. It was a quiet night around 10:30pm and although Sirius was mildly surprised to see very few customers at the pub, he ignored the fact and made a beeline for the fireplace.

Tom the bartender nodded his head at the two rushing for the flames and then Faith dug her hand into the Floo-pot and dropped it. Both Sirius and Faith said, "James and Lily Potter's residence, Godric's Hallow," at the same time. In a second they were gone.

In a whirl of emerald green flames they fell out of another fireplace, into a room with fine furnishings and three other people standing in it. Sirius and Faith stood up in an instant and then quickly did a clean spell to get all the ash and soot off themselves. Remus, Peter and James all rushed forward to greet them.

"Sirius mate, thank Merlin you're here! And you too Faith," James said, clasping Sirius's hand strongly.

"James, stop squeezing my hand or else you're likely to break it," Sirius wheezed, pulling his hand away from James' grip. "She's going to be fine." He clapped his friend on the shoulder and directed him to the settee.

Remus held out his arms to Faith and she went towards him. "Remus, it's so good to see you. How have you been?" She hugged him gently and then turned to sit down on another of the armchairs in the room.

"Decent, decent," Remus replied. "Just trying to make ends meet, and all that. You know?"

Faith nodded, "Yes, indeed I do. What time did you get here?"

"About half an hour ago."

Sirius spoke from his seat beside James on the settee, "We would have been here sooner but Faith needed to put her face on before she came. 'Women's prerogative' she calls it."

Faith grabbed a small pillow from beside her and hurled it at Sirius. "Shove it Black. We'll hear none of your excuses. Oh, and another thing. If you weren't an illegal animagus then we wouldn't have to go by Floo-powder. We'd be able to apparate. I'm able of course, but like a good girlfriend, I waited for my criminal boyfriend, ran with him all the way to the pub and held his hand while we went up in flames."

Sirius grabbed the pillow she'd chucked at him and was about to throw it back when Remus made a face, "What are we, thirteen?" he said. "It's shocking at your childish behavior. You'd think that after three years of being together you would have matured just a little bit."

"Oh come on Remus," James groaned, "I'm married and have a kid on the way and Lily and I have always been like this, happy and happily living together. Being mature takes all the fun out of it."

"Yeah, and to think you're going to be a father soon," Remus said, shaking his head.

Faith looked at James, "Yeah, and how come you're not in there holding Lily's hand? And where's the screaming? What kind of labour pains are these? Nonexistent?"

"I doubt she can feel anything right now," James commented, looking towards the door where Lily and the maternity healer were. "Healer Christie put a charm on her prevent her from feeling any pain. She's as cool as a cucumber in there. She told me flat out to leave for some reason. I did just as Remus and Peter arrived."

" 'As cool as a cucumber'?" Sirius said, "Now what in the hell does that mean?"

"Oh do shut up Sirius," Faith shot at him. "Can't you focus on anything?"

"I can focus on some things," Sirius said, sending Faith a wink across the room.

She let out a gasp and her eyes widened. "Sirius Black!"

Sirius then mimicked her and said, "Faith Duncan!" He raised his eyebrows briefly before grinning a toothy grin towards her.

James let out a laugh. "You see Faith, he can't focus on anything. Give it a rest Padfoot, leave it until after my son or daughter is born."

"Right-o," Sirius said, jumping to his feet. "Coffee it is then. Anyone want a cup?"

Remus and Faith both nodded towards the idea of coffee, whereas James declined and Peter said nothing. James was too jittery as it was and Peter looked as if he were in his own little world.

"Three cups of coffee then," Sirius confirmed and then went towards the kitchen.

Faith watched her fiancé's back and then her eyes wandered to his backside. Goodness, she couldn't focus either. She shook her head, shaking the image aside for the moment and turned back to James. "James, just out of curiosity, do you have any preference to the child's gender?"

James shook his head, almost unknowingly. "I don't really care Faith. I'm just so ecstatic that we're having a child at all that I couldn't care less. I'd love to have a boy to have some father and son moments, but then I would also care for a daughter equally because she would look exactly like Lily." He smiled and then looked thoughtfully towards the door of the room were Lily was, sedated.

Faith nodded. She guessed that Sirius would be the same, but neither was near ready for having children yet. Sirius was still looking for a steady job and Faith was working all she could to support them both at the moment. She had a little saved up from the money her mother had left her, but that was for when they were married and ready to settle down. They'd decided to have a long engagement to gather their assets and working towards their goals: a house, money for themselves, and then eventually, for their children.

Sirius came back into the room to a warm silence and handed a cup of coffee to both Remus and Faith before retaking his seat. He watched Faith bring the cup up to her lips and then gently take a sip before replacing it in her lap. Watching her had always fascinated him. She was such a wonder, and sometimes he pondered how he had ever been born lucky enough to deserve someone like her in his life.

He'd asked Faith one time, that very same question and she had simply replied, "You weren't born lucky Sirius, no one is. We make our own luck."

He looked at his friend beside him. James had married Lily not a year before and now they were having their first child. Sirius didn't know if James was ready to be a father, but he knew that James's determination would not deter him from trying to be the best dad he could be.

Sirius had never considered fatherhood until he had proposed marriage to Faith. He was glad she agreed that they weren't ready for that kind of commitment. Her motto was one step at a time. And Sirius liked that.

There was a rustling noise and then a door closing and opening. All heads turned towards Healer Christie who was coming out into the living room carrying a pile of wet towels. James jumped up and the healer put out her hand to reassure him, "She is fine Mr. Potter. I just need to get some new towels."

"Do you know when our baby will be coming?" James asked anxiously.

"I couldn't tell you Mr. Potter. It could be now or not until tomorrow morning. It's hard to say. She's perfectly healthy and well prepared for this. You don't have anything to worry about. I'll replace these towels now." She hurried towards the kitchen with the towels.

James sat back down on the settee and heaved a sigh. Sirius clapped his hand on his mate's shoulder, a gesture of friendship and comfort, if nothing else. James smiled and nodded. There was nothing to worry about. Lily was stronger than all of them put together and he knew it well enough.

They all set in for the next hour or so, not saying much. There was really nothing to say. The silence was warm and friendly however, so it wasn't an uncomfortable quiet. At 11:56pm, the healer rushed out of the room where Lily was without saying anything to anyone. Rushing back however she nodded her head towards James and his eyes lit up. It was the moment they had all been waiting for.

Faith watched the hands on the clock tick slowly closer towards midnight. She bit her lip and took hold of Remus' hand. Sirius has his hand on James' shoulder, preventing him from bursting into the room where Lily was, as well as giving him more comfort. Peter sat on the edge of his seat, the anticipation making him sweat buckets all over James and Lily's furniture.

The clock struck twelve and the sound of crying suddenly filled the house. James slumped onto the settee with a sigh and Faith saw a single tear cascade down his cheek. He was a father. Seconds went by and the crying noise subsided.

Healer Christie opened the door and in her arms, wrapped up in a small blue blanket, was a little baby. Fast asleep, the little baby was handed over to his father. James took the small bundle and walked in Lily's direction. Everyone followed and filed in to the room behind James.

James sat carefully on the side of the bed beside his wife. "Lily," he whispered softly.

She opened her eyes slowly, searching for James' face. "James?"

"Lily. We have a son. We have a son."

A smile broke out on her face and then smiles broke out all around. Faith and Sirius stood close to one another, hand in hand, staring at their best friends. They were now godparents. James and Lily had asked them a month ago to be godparents to their child, and now they had a godson.

"What are we going to name him, my love?" James asked tenderly.

Lily's eyes caught all of those standing around the end of her bed. They locked with both Faith and Sirius's more steadily than with the others. Then, looking back at James she said, "We should call him Harry."

"Harry?" James said smiling. "Harry James Potter."

~*~*~

Back at their flat, Faith and Sirius fell on to their bed without delay. They had stayed at the Potters house till nearly 5am, celebrating the birth of their godson. Harry was a small bundle of joy that everyone was thankful for in these hard times.

"Sirius?" Faith asked, climbing under the covers of their bed.

"Yes darling," he asked, pulling off his boots and taking off his shirt.

"Isn't Harry the most beautiful baby you ever did see?" Faith was so excited for her godson.

As Sirius crawled into bed he nodded his head, agreeing, "That he is. A beautiful baby boy."

"What do you want Sirius, a boy or a girl?" she asked, cuddling up into the crook of Sirius's shoulder.

"I hadn't really thought about it." He was silent for a few moments, considering the question. "I would like a little girl," he said finally.

Faith was surprised by his answer. "Really?"

"Yeah. A little girl with copper-colored curls and sea-blue eyes, and we could buy her a little yellow dress for her to wear."

Faith chuckled, recalling the memory of her in a little yellow dress, the first time she had really seen Sirius over the fence surrounding her house. She closed her eyes and then whispered, "No, not with copper-colored curls. She should have soft dark-brown ones, like her dad."

Sirius nodded. They both fell fast asleep with that image in their mind.


	7. Horror

1**Chapter Seven: Horror**

Faith was sitting on the couch in the center of her flat. She and Sirius had determined when they bought the flat that the couch would signify the center of their little world. She had her reading glasses on, her feet tucked up underneath her, and a Witch Weekly magazine open on her lap. Sirius had gone out for the afternoon with James. They were supposedly getting something for Harry's first birthday. It was a "guy thing", Sirius had told her before he'd gently kissed her on the forehead and went out the door.

Faith sighed and flipped the page of her magazine. Sirius was such a funny guy, and she loved him dearly. Only a month more and she would be Mrs. Sirius Black. She looked at the diamond ring that sparkled on her ring finger as it glittered in the lamplight. One month and she would be married to the man of her dreams.

A knock on the door startled her and she got up and walked to the door. She looked through the peephole and saw nothing else but a bouquet of roses. Dozens of red roses filled her vision and a smile broke out on her face.

She opened the door and the roses were pushed into her arms. From behind the flowers Sirius emerged. "Hey lovely," he said casually.

As the scent filled her nostrils, Faith walked backwards into the flat. "Hi," she said before setting the flowers down on the little table near the door. She jumped up into Sirius' arms and hugged him tightly. "Thanks for the flowers," she whispered into his ear.

He squeezed once before setting her back on her feet. "You're most welcome."

She looked up into his eyes and said, "So are you home for the evening?"

He shook his head forlornly, "Nope, 'fraid not love. We have somewhere to be. Another meeting."

Faith scowled, "You always go to these meetings." She flailed her arms about her as she picked up the flowers and marched towards the kitchen. "When are you going to spend a night at home?"

"I spent last night at home," Sirius defended as he followed her.

"Yeah right. You came into the house at eleven after having been out since five thirty. When are you going to have a meal with me?" She turned to look at Sirius. "We haven't eaten a meal together in two weeks."

He leaned in towards her, taking her head in his hands. Gently kissing her forehead he replied, "I know love, I know. I am so sorry. We'll spend all tomorrow with each other though. Its Harry's birthday party remember? You'll get to see Lily too."

Faith sighed, "I was at Lily's this afternoon and saw little Harry. I spend a lot of time with Lily and Harry, Sirius. Who I want to see more of is you!" She folded her arms in front of her, frustrated.

Sirius wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tightly into him. His warmth greeted her and she couldn't resist putting her arms around his waist and hugging him back. "I suppose I don't have to go to the meeting tonight," he said softly.

Faith pulled back and shook her head, "No, don't let me keep you from it. I was just upset. You know that. The work you do for the Order is important, you need to go."

Sirius tilted Faith's head to look up at him, "But you're important to me too Faith, more than the world. You know that. That's why I won't let you join the Order. It's too risky for you."

"I'm tough. I can handle anything thrown at me," she said stubbornly. They'd had this conversation many times before and every time it ended the same: Faith wouldn't join the Order because it was too dangerous.

"I know you are," Sirius commended her, "But you're important to me most of all and I will do whatever I have to, to keep you safe."

"Lily's in the Order," Faith said defiantly.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean anything to me. I don't want you to be a target. And think about it Faith, you don't want to be a target either. Please let's drop the matter, please. I thought you wanted to spend tonight with me?" His eyes sparkled.

Faith smiled and said, "Fine. I'll give this one to you now, but I might not be so lenient later."

Sirius took her head in his hands and pulled her lips towards his. "Right," he whispered before kissing her passionately. Faith was ready to fall to the floor right then and there but Sirius abruptly stopped and laughed at her. "Wait a few minutes, I need to tell someone that I won't be at the meeting tonight."

"Couldn't you just send an owl or something?"

Sirius had turned to walk towards the door again. "An owl? Come on Faith. The Order is little more personal than that. Besides, I wouldn't want anyone to think I was being held for ransom by Voldemort, now would I? Just let me pop my head in at James' and I'll be back before you know it."

Faith shook her head. He was always joking about things that were far too serious to joke about. It was just how he was. He would laugh off death itself, she was sure of it. "Fine, if it has to be that way. Go, but you'd better be back soon."

Sirius grinned at her, in that devilishly handsome smile that he'd always had. "Oh I will. And you wanna know why?" he said.

Faith laughed, "Why?"

Sirius slinked back to where Faith stood and took her by the hips, swaying her back and forth. He leaned towards her, his mouth near her ear, "Because I know what will be waiting for me when I get back." The way he whispered it made Faith shiver with delight. Kissing her briefly on the head Sirius chuckled, "Bye babe."

As he was walking out the door Faith yelled, "I love you."

"I love you too," he yelled back before the door shut behind him.

~*~*~

It was dark outside, and the news Sirius carried was as black as his name. He'd been so foolish to talk James into letting Peter be his secret keeper instead of him. Now Peter had betrayed them all and James and Lily were in serious danger. Sirius ran along the dark street, making his way down alleys and up roads, trying to make his way back to his flat. He had to warn Faith.

Huffing and puffing he hurled himself around the corner that he knew led to his flat. He stopped dead in his tracks and retreated. There was a dark figure in the street, illuminated only by a streetlight. Draped in a black cloak that made Sirius shiver, the figure's face was hidden. Sirius quickly contemplated his choices. The figure must have been watching his flat to see when they would be coming back. He had to warn Faith though. He could go around the back but he'd probably make more noise going up the drainpipe than he would apparating right to his living room.

He peered around the corner once more and came face to face with the figure. They had walked right to the corner and were standing right where Sirius had been standing moments before. Sirius screamed then jumped back out of fright, pulling out his wand in the process.

"Sshh, Sirius, its only me."

Now that they were nose to nose, Sirius could see the face underneath the cloak. "Dumbledore? What the hell are you doing?" Sirius hissed.

"I'm keeping watch. I didn't think it would be that suspicious outside your house than it would outside of James and Lily's. I needed to talk to you."

"We don't have much time. I need to get inside and tell Faith what's happened."

"No!" Dumbledore said in hushed tones.

"What? Why?" Sirius was confused. "I need to though!"

"No. You can't let her know anything. She will be in more danger if you do. You can't let her know anything, do you understand?" Dumbledore reached out to grab hold of Sirius' wand arm.

"I—no—"

"Yes Sirius. You can't tell her anything." He was very firm on the subject, which left Sirius with no choice. He couldn't tell her anything.

~*~*~

Faith had waited almost an hour without hearing anything from Sirius. She'd even gone back to reading from her Witch Weekly magazine to pass the time. He'd been gone too long. Something must have happened to him, she thought. Drawing her thoughts away from the worst, she figured he had just gotten caught up with James and forgotten about the time.

The door burst open. Sirius came streaming in with a wild look on his face. Faith jumped up, "Sirius! What the—"

"Faith," he came swiftly over and hugged her tightly. Faith was confused. "Faith, I love you."

"What?"

He pulled her back and looked at her in the eye. "I love you. Do you hear me?" He shook her head gently, not letting her eyes leave his. "I love you so much."

Tears started streaming down her face. "I love you too Sirius."

"Wait for me," he said quickly before vanishing out the door once more. Faith ran after him. At the door she stood there, astonished. He was gone. "Sirius!" she yelled.

What had he meant, 'wait for her'? She didn't understand. Her tears were tears or confusion. She couldn't make sense of any of it.

"Sirius?" she whispered to the wind that had begun to blow outside.

She was suddenly picked up and whirled inside by someone with a firm grip. "What the—? Dumbledore?"

"Faith. Don't worry about Sirius. He'll be fine."

"Wha—? What's going on?" she demanded.

"I can't tell you," he said.

"Then why are you hear damnit!" she yelled at him.

"To tell you to get out of here. Leave the flat. Go somewhere. Visit your father. He'd like that. Please, you can't stay here." He said this so quickly and left in another whirl of black, it was hard to believe he was ever there. Faith knew that what Dumbledore says goes though, so she rushed upstairs and pulled out her suitcase.

Filling her clothes into her suitcase, she caught herself only once. She stopped long enough to sit on the bed and cry. She was so scared right now, scared for Sirius and scared for everyone else. She knew it had to do with Voldemort. Sirius wouldn't tell her anything that would harm her. But she was scared for his life. She didn't want to lose him.

She looked down to the diamond ring on her finger. It sparkled still in the dark and Faith hugged her hand to her heart, promising to cherish the ring, come what may. She pulled a photograph from its frame on her bedside table and continued to pack her clothes. Sirius would stay with her. Sirius' final words resounded in her head. "Wait for me," he had said. She would wait for him, she decided, until the end of time if she needed to.

~*~*~

Sirius was yelling, screaming, fighting to get away. He didn't have a chance though. The Aurors were all around him. Their wands pointed towards him and in doing so, paralyzed his ability to move. He'd made it only too late. There was nothing else he could do. Dropping to his knees in front of the torn house Sirius put his head in his hands. It was all his fault. He was to blame, and now there was no one left to attest to his innocence.

Bodies lay strewn around him, just outside the perimeter of Aurors. Muggles. Innocent people. They didn't have any idea what had happened or why. It was a sight to see Sirius kneel down and start crying. Everyone heard his wails and then suddenly, his world went black.

It dragged him deeper and deeper until a harsh cold swept over him. The chills went up and down his spine. Ice cold. His only warm thoughts were those of Faith. He knew Albus told her to leave the flat. She would be found too easily there. She would leave. No one would recall that Sirius Black had ever had a girlfriend. He sighed in the cold darkness. Faith would be safe.


	8. Hardship

Chapter Eight: Hardship

Her heart constricted when she saw the front page of the Daily Prophet the next morning. She fell to the ground, all strength leaving her body. Tears began to flow down her cheeks and wept for an hour.

She was alone in the world.

Lily and James were gone now. Harry was gone. And Sirius…Sirius was… "Gone," she whispered.

Faith read through what she could of the article proclaiming Sirius a murderer and she cringed at every word. Sirius was innocent her heart protested, leaving her hands shaking and her eyes red with tears. He wouldn't harm his best friends, she thought. He couldn't.

She lifted herself miraculously off the ground and walked solemnly up to her old bedroom. She had only one destination and that was the Ministry of Magic. The hearing was this morning. They weren't wasting one second on facts. They were going to condemn her Sirius and she had to get to him. She had to see him before he disappeared forever. She knew her security clearance would get her into the building, but not to Courtroom Ten where Sirius' trial was to be held. Surely they wanted to keep this a closed trial so there was no room for excuses or doubtful theories about last night's events, Faith thought. Why then was the name of the Hearing room printed in the paper?

Getting out a set of clothes quickly and very carelessly was a task that Faith didn't think she had enough strength for. Fortunately, every time she felt like sitting down on the bed and crying her eyes out, she saw Sirius' face on the front page of the paper and it made her, forced her to keep going. She had to make it before they chained him up and sentenced him to a life without warmth.

After Faith had finished, she shoved the paper into her purse and put on as placid a face as she could manage and then descended down the stairs and stepped out the front door of her father's house.

Her father hadn't moved when her mother had died. He still lived in her childhood home with the Black residence right beside them. Now cold and empty with the children grown and gone and the parents dead, Faith couldn't believe that Sirius had grown up in such a horrible place. It looked so cold. She couldn't believe that Sirius, the man she loved, her fiancé, had grown up to be such a warm person when his childhood environment was torturing. Now on death row, he was being forced into a future he had never chosen. His brother, cousins, parents, they had all taken a turn for the worse and ended up in Azkaban or close enough to it anyways; their graves. Now Sirius would be bound to the same fate, and Faith could only sit by and watch.

Clutching at her heart, praying it would not let out on her now, she looked away from the Black Mansion and shut her eyes, preventing with all her might the tears from falling. She shook her head and the awful thoughts brooding there and stood erect. Clearly in her head she pictured the Ministry of Magic main entrance and in mere milliseconds, she was there.

Wizards and witches fluttered by her. They popped out of fireplaces, sashayed in and out of elevators and generally congregated in the center of the massive hall. The main topic, as Faith discovered pushing her way through the throngs of people, was the events of last night and the sudden vanishing of You-Know-Who.

"He's just gone! They say little Harry drove back You-Know-Who's powers and diminished him to nothing. He was just smoke. And Harry lived."

There were tons of comments about Harry, James, Lily and some even about Sirius, and they all contained snippets about You-Know-Who. Faith listened only when she had to. She had to remain on track or else her knees would fail on her and she would collapse in a fit of screams and tears.

In the elevator she tuned out everyone. Anything they were saying she got rid of. She repelled anything and everything that was being said in that small confined space. She poked impatiently at the button that said down. A cool female voice was the only sound she chose to listen to, which listed off the floor levels.

'Level Seven, Department of Magical Games and Sports, Level Six, Department of Magical Transportation, Level Five, Department of International Magical Co-operation, Level Four, Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, Level Three, Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, Level Two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Atrium, and (finally), the Department of Mysteries.'

Faith sighed greatly as the golden grilles pulled back from the elevator and let her off. She wasn't the only one getting off at that floor either. There were several witches and wizards in plum-colored robes and caps, members of the Wizengamot. There were only about ten of them, but Faith knew full well that there would have to be at least fifty to hold a hearing for something like this. She held her breath as she walked towards the Courtroom. How was she going to get in?

Faith worked on Level Five at the International Magical Office of Law. She wasn't even a high-ranking IMO (International Magical Officer). She was just a clerk that sat at a desk part time. She was a temp. Faith looked around frantically, hoping to catch a glimpse of someone she knew. Maybe she could convince someone that she would like to view a real live trial for experience in case she needed to go abroad.

She looked at her watch. It was almost 9:30am, when the trial was supposed to begin. She was beginning to lose hope. She spun in 270° before finding Gwendolyn Marshes, Head of the Improper Use of Magic Department. She was obviously heading into the trial and Faith knew her a little. Her boss and Miss Marshes were really close friends. This was her shot. It was now or never.

"Miss Marshes," Faith said, before clearing her throat briefly. Gwendolyn was a slightly plump, middle-aged woman with graying hair and horn-rimmed spectacles.

"Yes dear," she said in a very motherly tone.

"Um…my name is Faith Duncan. I work with Marissa Flanders on Level Five."

"Oh yes, I know you. You're such a diligent witch. Marissa constantly praises your hard work. What can I do for you?"

"Well I was wondering if I might be able to go inside that courtroom with you. I've never been inside one and it's my day off and I read about this one in the paper. I was hoping I'd be able to get some firsthand experience in a courtroom." Faith was quick with her lie but held onto her confidence, knowing that this was her only chance.

"Well now…" Miss Marches looked from Faith to the Courtroom Ten door. Faith was sincerely hoping she was considering it. "I don't see as it would be a problem. You must understand that you are not to say a word now. It's my head if you make a disruption at all," she held up her finger in warning, giving Faith the sternest look she'd ever received.

"Oh yes," Faith said a little too enthusiastically. "I swear I won't utter a single word." She nodded to seal the deal, proving she would be able to keep her mouth shut.

"Very well. Come with me." Miss Marches moved passed Faith and pushed open the door leading Faith to Sirius.

~*~*~

The bags under his eyes proved evidence enough that his night had been less than restful, perhaps less than less than restful. It was a horrible experience. The Dementors surrounded him. A flash of green and then a flash of red and then smoke everywhere had obscured Sirius' vision. It was the last time he'd seen the light of day. Since then he had been caged up, banned from human civility. The Dementors made him want to die. Everything that had transpired made him want to die.

His best friends, James and Lily, were no longer in this world. Sirius knew that even if he were to survive this trial, he would never look on the face of his best friends. And his godson, little Harry Potter, had been whisked away beyond his reach, never to be seen again. Sirius felt all was lost. His only console was the small truth that Faith was as safe as ever. Lord Voldemort had vanished last night, leaving the Death Eaters to scatter to the winds, into hiding, to await the return of their lord and master. Sirius hoped it would be beyond his own lifetime and he would never again have to live in such darkness.

Shackled and chained, the Aurors dragged him unceremoniously into the courtroom, where he would be officially accused of Lily and James Potter's death. Sirius cringed at the thought, wishing if only to have been the one to blow up Peter Pettigrew himself. But he would never again get that chance. Peter had blown himself up in service to the Dark Lord, and had betrayed his own friends. Sirius eyes, once full of life and light were now dark and hallow. There was nothing left for him.

As the Aurors dragged him over to the chair he was then chained to it, and someone began to speak. They spoke in technical jargon, much more than a simple man like Sirius could understand. He lifted his eyes once. Once and only once was all he had strength for this time. He looked at the Minister who was in charge of the proceedings. He was a frumpy old man with a stiff upper lip and an evil glare in his eyes. Sirius's eyes then scanned the crowd of men, women and reporters who were present for his hearing.

And then he saw her. Her eyes stood out, sea-blue and sparkling with salt-water tears. Her eyes never moved from his, reaching out and wrapping him in the last warmth he was sure he'd feel for the rest of his days. It lit him up, warmed him to the very core. Her eyes remained locked with his, even as the Minister accused him of murdering his best friends, his eyes were not diverted.

She was so beautiful. Dressed in light blue robes that brought out the magic in her eyes, she stood out from the rest. She probably didn't even realize that she was doing so, sticking out like a sore thumb, and drawing so much attention to herself. Oh but she was beautiful. Her brown hair looked rumpled and stressed from running her fingers through it endlessly in all her nerves. He found peace in her eyes. She knew he was innocent, he could feel it. And he knew that she would wait for him. She would wait until the end of her days to have the chance to be with him again, if only for a short time.

Heart pounding and a solitary tear sliding down his cheek. No one regaled it as being an honest tear however because they all believed him to be a cold-blooded killer. Everyone, that is, except Faith. She had a magic that emanated from her very core making her so beautiful, so exquisite. He had just recently gained back her trust, they were going to be getting married soon, and then this happened. He would have to leave her on her own, with no one in the world to turn to. Perhaps, Sirius thought, maybe there would be a chance down the line when he would be able to see her, just once, before he died. Before he had to leave this world for good and never see her beautiful face again.

He held on to that one single hope as his sentence echoed through the cold and foreboding hearing room. He was punished for a crime he did not commit, to serve a life sentence in Azkaban for the murder of thirteen muggles and co-conspirator of the murders of James and Lily Potter as an agent of the Dark Lord. He'd never forgive himself for the mistake he'd made. He hoped that, even if he couldn't forgive himself, Faith would be able to forgive him in time.

He continued to look into her eyes. Passing her one quick smile before they lead him out of the room, which everyone else took as a smirk of accomplishment, he wished her a happy life, one that would lead her to the places he could not take her to. He wished as well that though he would be in jail and she would be alone for many years, she would remain true to him. His final vow as they dragged him towards his cold prison was that he would see Faith again before he died.


	9. Hope

Chapter Nine: Hope - Part I

Twelve years, twelve years and not a word, nothing to keep her going, and nothing more to live for. Faith had held on as long as she could. She was on the brink of giving up, breaking her promise to Sirius. Sirius had asked her to wait for him. He had asked her that last night they were together all those years ago simply to wait for him. She didn't know if she could hold on anymore. She'd gone to work day in and day out, waiting, praying for some kind of miracle. Yet nothing came. Not one word was ever issued and Faith was beginning to think that Sirius had perished in that cold prison, that island of death, Azkaban. She had only willpower now to endure. She couldn't call what she had a life. She was living for a shadow, a memory of years past. She was at the point of believing that she'd either move on or die.

One morning she woke very early, the usual time for her to get up and cry for Sirius. She had almost cried every tear she could for him. It was getting harder and harder to show her emotions, not just to herself, but also to others. Her father, still holding on strong after everything, would express his worry to her every chance he could. But she couldn't feel anything. She was numb and hollow, withering with the passing seconds on the clock.

Waking up that morning, she walked into the bathroom that adjoined itself to her room. She had lived with her father for twelve years, never bothering to go back to her apartment. She knew if she went back there it would only bring back memories of her and Sirius. She didn't want to remember things she would never have again. She washed her face in the cold water from the tap and looked up into the mirror, staring at her reflection. Though time had passed, no one could say she wasn't beautiful still. Her sea-blue eyes still shone in the sunlight and her pale complexion was clear of blemishes, as it had been when she was younger. Her long brown hair was now pin-straight from brushing endlessly on many long nights but still it had a certain gloss to it.

Faith imagined how Sirius might look now. He would be withered and look old from the years of cold submission to the Dementors of Azkaban. She could only hope, and it was a mere hope at that, that he had survived to remember her and come back to her in the end.

She got dressed silently, trying not to wake her father who slept in the next room, and then crept her way down the stairs of her father's house. It was quiet and dark outside. Things were beginning again. The shuddering from fear was starting to surge through the people of London, Surrey, people of England. You-Know-Who was back and though Faith felt the same fear as she had before, it was different this time. For some reason, Faith knew that she was safe.

It was an unexplainable emotion that Faith held and as she stepped out onto the front steps she couldn't help but glancing up at the Old Black Mansion. It had been an abandoned estate for nearly thirteen years, perhaps a little bit more. She had stopped counting a long time ago.

Pulling her sweater closer around herself she looked out over the fields of England, watching as the sun rose in the east setting a glow to the skyline of London. She had to go to work very soon but she wouldn't deny herself this one moment of peace. It was rare that she got these moments. She tried to give herself as much to do as possible because she knew free time meant her thoughts would wander and then gather on the times with her friends of old. James, Lily, Harry, Remus…

"Faith?" a hoarse voice said.

She jumped at the sound of her name, squeaking in surprise, simultaneously pulling out her wand. "Who's there?"

To her left she saw a figure walking towards her. They were wearing ragged and torn clothes, old and tatty. He walked into the light and Faith let out a sigh of relief.

"Remus." She stood up, swiftly pocketing her wand once more, and flung herself at him. She hadn't seen him in almost ten years.

"Faith! Oh God Faith!" He clung to her, hugged her and she felt almost happy, for the first time in nearly twelve years.

"Remus, Remus…what? How? …"

"Sshh, stop crying Faith. It's okay. It's going to be okay."

She felt as though her knees were going to give way on her. She could feel all the strength leaving from her body as she hugged her old friend. He took her hand and they moved to sit over on the steps of the house. She refused to let go of his hand. He was something tangible, something more than memory and she couldn't get enough of that feeling.

She took one of her hands and wiped away the tears from her eyes to get a clearer look at him. His hair was like straw, whipped across his forehead as if he'd been in the wind for too long. It was still the softest color of brown, matching his warm brown eyes. Along his right eye was a large slash, a cut, and the skin around it was bruised. He looked pale and worn out, just as his clothes had suggested.

"What happened to you Remus?" Faith asked, clutching his hand still.

"Just had a rough night is all." Faith nodded her head in understanding. "I came looking for you Faith. We're always keeping an eye out for you, and so when I saw the Prophet this morning I thought it would be best…"

"What are you talking about?" Faith asked, confused. He had mentioned the Prophet…what was in there this morning that she should care about? She had stopped receiving the Prophet a long time ago. It was no longer useful…not anymore.

"You…you mean you haven't seen the Prophet this morning?" he questioned.

Faith shook her head. "I don't read the news anymore."

He nodded, "Oh. Well then…" he reached around and grabbed his briefcase before expelling the parchment from its depths. "You…you have to promise me you won't do anything before I show you this."

"What are you talking about, Remus?" she said, quite flustered about all the secrets. She hadn't seen him in at least ten years and now he was acting as if it had been a mistake to come and see her. "Just show me the darn thing."

She grasped at the Prophet and unfolded it to reveal the front page.

She instantly had a shortness of breath, her heart started pounding and her head started throbbing. Her mouth dropped open to emit a small gasp as she stared down at the picture on the front page of the Daily Prophet.

"…Sirius…" she whispered, mouthed, as it was barely audible.

There he was on the front page, acclaimed mass murderer Sirius Black, hair scraggly, black and white striped attire, screaming, insane. … "_The mass murderer of thirteen muggles twelve years ago has escaped from his high security prison cell and fled the island of Azkaban. It is the duty of the Minister of Magic to warn the people that though Black is not armed, he is still very dangerous and is to be apprehended immediately…" _

Faith looked up at Remus, unable to speak. "I…he…how…" She shook her head, not understanding, not able to put two words together in the same sentence. She had lost all comprehension for speech.

"Calm down Faith," Remus advised her. "Just breathe, big breaths…breathe." He'd known she would freak out like this and he had been warned not to tell her, but it was against his control. Friends were friends and after not being around for so long he owed it to her. "Now listen," he said, Faith looking up into his face, "I'm going to Hogwarts. Dumbledore has offered me a position there as Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. I've heard all the rumors and it seems that Sirius is going to see Harry."

"Harry?" Faith asked.

"Yes."

Faith frowned, not understanding. "Why would he go to see Harry?"

Remus shook his head. "I don't know. It was all the information I got before I had to leave. But listen, I'll be at Hogwarts with Harry and wait for Sirius. You have to stay here."

"Stay here?! No—"

"Yes! You have to stay here. You know what people believe, Faith. You know if someone links you to Sirius then you will be in big trouble. You know this so don't argue with me."

Faith nodded, "Yes, I understand." Her head was whirling. Sirius was alive, and for the moment, free from the restraints of Azkaban. The one thing in the whole world she wanted to do right now was go out and look for him, hold him in her arms once again. And yet, according to Remus, it was the one thing she absolutely must not do. She looked up to Remus and asked, "Will you write to me?"

He nodded his agreement, smiling grimly, "Of course I will. I'll make a point at it, I promise."

"Thank you." Faith reached out and hugged Remus.

He patted her on the back and whispered, "Everything will be alright."

Faith clinched her eyes shut to prevent her tears from falling. She had gone from the depths of depravity to utter elation in the course of a few hours this morning and now, with another hope to keep her going, all she need do now was wait.

***

_Dear Faith,_

_I've arrived at Hogwarts and right off the bat am a good friend with all the staff, students and above all, our Harry. He's a bright young boy with a keen group of friends. He looks exactly like James. I haven't seen him for nearly twelve years now. As you recall we all had to go into hiding after…well you know. But he's a smart boy with a great aptitude for trouble, much like his father. Unfortunately however, he has been misinformed to some extent and believes that Sirius killed his parents. You and I believe otherwise, but until Sirius shows himself I cannot express that I knew his parents._

_ If you wish to write back, then that would be most agreeable. I am still way laid once a month when the full moon comes out, but thankfully our old friend Severus Snape works at this fine establishment under Dumbledore and has provided me with a sort of anti-serum administered once a month before the full moon. It prevents me from acting like a…well…a werewolf, to stay to the point._

_Much love,_

_Remus_

_Dear Remus,_

_I'm glad to hear that everything is going so well there. I am terribly anxious for news and have recently started to receive the Daily Prophet once more. It isn't very helpful however because everything I read from there is just more nonsense, lies and blatant untruths about the man we both love. _

_I remember seeing Harry about 2 years ago I think it was. I hadn't seen him since he was a little boy and was overjoyed upon seeing him in Diagon Alley where he was buying his schoolbooks with friends. I do hope you and he become great friends, as I hope to be someday, a good friend with him._

_I will continue a response to your letters as it gives me something to do when the night is young and I have nowhere to go._

_Lots of Love,_

_Faith_

_Dear Faith,_

_I'm glad to hear that you are well and continuing to stay positive about Sirius. There was an occurrence the other night where the Fat Lady, you do remember her of course, claimed that Sirius slashed into the common room. Harry's friend Ron was scared half to death. I'm sure both Harry and Ron are wondering how Sirius had gone to Ron's bed and not Harry's, as the rumor is that Sirius wants to kill Harry, which is total bollocks by the way. I don't know if this means anything yet, but I will sure to inform you once I find out._

_The new locks at Hogwarts have got everyone in a fix now because Sirius got past them and they're supposed to be impenetrable. He also got past the Dementors at the gate. This is a surprise to most, but I understand it, as you might as well. He's using his animagus form to slip into the Shrieking Shack passageway, which enters on the grounds. It is very ingenious I must admit. _

_I must be off. I have a class in a few minutes and I cannot be late, as I am the teacher._

_Much Love,_

_Remus_

_Dearest Remus,_

_Thank you for your letter. It was most informative. I am curious to the goings on in my Sirius's head at the moment, but I'm sure he has his reasons. This letter will unfortunately be short. I am late for work._

_Lots of Love,_

_Faith_

_Dear Faith,_

_I've got it! I understand now what Sirius is after. Peter Pettigrew. Harry saw the name on the Marauders Map, which somehow found its way into his hands, and then I saw it as well. He's here, at Hogwarts. Sirius is after Peter because of what he did. It'll be all over soon. I have a feeling the Sirius knows what he is doing. I have complete confidence in his decisions Faith, so don't you worry. Everything is going to be ok._

_Much Love,_

_Remus_

_Dear Remus,_

_Oh God! I cannot imagine what he is going through right now. The thoughts in his head. He wants revenge Remus, and I fear that it will only bring more havoc on his head. Stay with him Remus, keep him from danger._

_Lots of Love,_

_Faith_

***

Flying over the roofs of London, heading towards the country, he marveled at his fortune. Not half an hour ago he was chained up and facing the reality he was soon going to die, never see any of this world every again, and now he was free. Or at least he was as good as free. His godson, Harry Potter, the son of his best friend, had helped him escape from his imprisonment. Sirius had told Harry that someday soon they would live together as a family.

There was no one member of his family he wanted to see more though, than his fiancée of thirteen years, the woman he loved most of all in this world. Faith. He was headed for her father's home. It was the only place he could think of that she might be. She wouldn't have stayed at their apartment for thirteen years. He hoped with all his might that she was there, waiting for him.

Buckbeak flapped his wings gracefully, gaining the height required to become just a speck in the sky to people on the streets of London. Sirius shook his head out and let the wind pass over him. It had been a long time since he had felt the cool breeze of England. Being stuck in that cold, dank prison has taken its toll on him, but Sirius refused to give up. There was still so much he wanted out of life, and he was going to live it.

The rooftops of London disappeared leaving a seemingly endless expanse of fields with houses scattered here and there. It was hard to see as dark fell upon the land. He urged Buckbeak lower so he would be able to see where they were. He knew his destination well enough. His old summer home was still right beside Faith's father's house. It would stand black and menacing upon the large hill. Faith would be at the bottom of the hill in a small brick house that had a large fence enclosing the backyard.

Sirius envisioned her sitting on her front porch steps, sitting there with her head up, staring off into space. Her left hand would be in her lap, resting anxiously and her right hand would be in her hair, brushing it through gently and twirling the ends as she had done when she was younger. He could see it.

The hippogriff swooped low and Sirius glanced about, wondering what had made Buckbeak act this way. He then looked out in front of him. Coming towards him fast was a large black mansion on a crest. Beside this mansion was a small brick house with a single light in upper right-hand corner. Faith.


	10. Hope II

Chapter Ten: Hope – Part II

The courage she had been empowered by throughout that year had now evaporated. Faith was sitting in her room, on the edge of her bed, and she was crumbling. News of Sirius's escape from Hogwarts had come as a complete shock to her. The fact that he had almost been killed was worse. But now he wasn't anywhere she could reach him. Remus was in the Forbidden forest somewhere but Albus Dumbledore had sent her an owl, and for the first time in almost twelve years she had heard from her old headmaster.

_Faith,_

_ This may come as a shock to you, but Sirius Black has been captured here at Hogwarts. The Dementors circled him shortly before I sent this letter, and he was brought back to the tower. Harry however, dear Harry, has freed him. Harry is a wonderful boy Faith, and with the truth out in the open now he knows that Sirius didn't kill James and Lily. He loves Sirius, as James would have wanted him to. I don't know where Sirius is now Faith, but I have no doubt that he is thinking of you._

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

When Faith read the letter she had nearly fallen to the floor with relief and also with fear. She had found consolation with the news from Remus every few months, but now this letter from Dumbledore frightened her. Albus hadn't spoken to her since that night twelve years ago when Sirius had come home begging her to wait for him and then Dumbledore told her to run, hide, and stay hidden. She had wondered if he would ever find her again, tell her; advise her, that everyone was going to be all right. She couldn't imagine what was going through his mind right now, yet she hardly noticed what was going through her own.

Sirius. Sirius. It was a name she hadn't said in over a decade. Not even to her father. Now she might say it again. Perhaps he would come to her. Sitting on the edge of her bed now, she knew she would just crumble to the ground if he appeared. She wouldn't be able to find the strength to believe he was really there, should he choose to appear. He could just appear due to some hallucination that Faith figured she might conjure to help her through the night.

The light on her bedside table reflected the shadows in her room. Faith was no longer afraid of shadows. She had lived in fear once, a long time ago after Sirius had first left, imagining that someone might turn up in the corner of her room to tear her away for interrogation. Nothing had ever happened though. She had remained safe in her father's home. No one would ever find her here.

Faith leaned back on the plush pillows of her queen-sized bed and brought a small stuffed animal to her chin. It was a small black dog that Sirius had given her for her birthday, the year after he had proposed to her. She chewed on her lip, held the dog close, and let her right hand drift over her left hand, feeling the rough stone on her ring finger. The ring Sirius had given her was simple and delicate, but exquisite all the same. She had cherished it forever and would continue to do so favorably, until he returned to her, or she died.

Faith reminisced for far too long, and deep inside her memories, she missed hearing the creak in the floorboards at the door of her bedroom. She didn't even hear the squeaking of the hinges as her door opened inch by inch to let the stranger into her room. Only when the balance of the bed shifted did she realize that there was someone else in her room besides her stuffed animal and herself. Her heart beat faster and faster. She inched her hand towards her wand, which she kept tucked underneath her pillow.

There was a hand on her shoulder and in a flash she had whipped off the bed, towards the window and turned to face the intruder, wand hand out, armed and prepared to fire when needed. Faith felt her stomach drop to her knees at the sight before her. He was wearing an old, ragged, dirty shirt and pants, and a grey-color, ripped jacket. His face was caked with dirt and grim and his nails were long and yellowing. His eyes were a sharp blue-grey color with the sparkle still intact.

Faith let her wand fall slowly to her side and let out a small gasp of air. Her mouth hung open and she could hardly breath. She couldn't speak at all. Even if she had wanted to speak, she wouldn't be able to, for there were no words.

She gulped once and then there was a clatter on the hardwood floor as her wand dropped. She rushed forward all at once, climbing onto the bed in front of the grimy man. Familiarity rang throughout his figure and as her hand hesitantly reached out to touch his face she felt as if her hand would pass through the memory. Perhaps she was imagining things?

The man's eyes closed gently when her fingers made contact with his cheek. Recognition sprang into Faith's mind and her other hand cupped his other cheek. She closed her own eyes then and leaned her forehead against his. She knew he was dirty but she didn't care. She wanted to feel his warmth again.

His hands reached for her, grasped her shoulders and he shook with liberation. He emitted one word, a name, in a hoarse and raspy voice. "Faith."

That had done it for her. She clambered even further toward him, bringing him to her chest, hugging him tightly. "Sirius, oh Sirius!" she said wistfully.

Only then did she realize that she was crying and when she brought his head closer, she knew that he was crying too.

"Faith! Faith!" he said, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her as close to him as he could manage.

Faith's mind was buzzing with questions, but she reveled in the chance to hold him close again. She didn't know how long he would stay and she was determined to keep him for as long as she could. She whispered, "Dear God, thank you. Sirius, my love…"

At the word love, Sirius pulled back to look at her. She knew her face would be streaming with tears of thanks, but she didn't care. He looked at her for a brief second before his lips crushed hers. She could tell he was out of practice, but the warmth of his lips greeted her heart and soul with the kiss of life. She was alive again. The past twelve years hadn't been a waste of time after all. She knew he would come back. She just knew it.

When he had finished kissing her, he resorted once more to just looking at her. He was drinking her in, memorizing her aged and beautiful face for what it was now, and comparing it with the memory he held of the much younger and youthful Faith. She was no less beautiful and no less mesmerizing, and yet she had changed. What hadn't changed however, was the way she felt about him. He swept his hand over her face and breathed her name.

She released the air she had been holding in and repeated his call, "Sirius. I…"

He nodded in understanding. "I know. You have questions," he said in a low voice.

"Yes," she replied. "But…but you need to…" she smiled to herself, thinking he would find it foolish.

"Need to what?" he urged.

"Get cleaned up?" she suggested.

"Of course," he replied, smiling in response. "Then I want to spend some time with you before…" his eyes averted hers for a moment. "Before I have to go again."

Faith's heart dropped. "Go? So soon?" She had known he would leave her in the end because he wouldn't want to endanger her life any longer than necessary, but she hadn't thought his visit would end so quickly.

"I'm afraid so, love," he said, his hand grasped at hers, offering her the comfort he could provide. "I will stay as long as I can."

She nodded in understanding.

"Is your father home?" Sirius asked quietly.

"Yes…but he's a heavy sleeper. He sleeps on the ground floor as well, adjacent from the kitchen. He says it's easier so we don't disturb one another during the night." She smiled and pulled his hand gently. "Come on," she prompted, "we'll get you cleaned up."

~*~*~

Sirius had refused to let Faith out of his sight. He took her into the shower with him and let her wash all the dirt and grime off his body and hair. She had insisted briefly to be let out of his sight to go and find him some clean clothes he could wear instead of his Azkaban attire. When she had come back with some old clothes of her father's that had been in the upstairs closet, he was never more than a foot away from her.

Only after he had her curled up beside him on the bed did he allow her to ask her questions. Her first one was one he expected, "How did you escape from Azkaban?"

He nearly cringed at the name, hoping that his luck would continue and he would never have to go back there. "When the Dementors came into my cell one night I transfigured into my Animagus and snuck out. My Animagus form confused the Dementors because they feed only on human emotions and not animal emotions, if such a thing exists. I managed to slip away and swam to shore before heading towards Hogwarts."

"Why Hogwarts?" Faith asked in hushed tones.

"I'd seen a newspaper in Azkaban of the Weasley's during their trip to Egypt. Ron Weasley is a friend of Harry's I later found out. But on Ron's shoulder in the picture was that rat, literally, Peter Pettigrew, the man responsible for my imprisonment. Blasted rat got away in the end though all because Remus changed during the full moon last night. I went to look for Peter and exact my revenge for the events of twelve years ago."

Faith squeezed Sirius closer to her and he welcomed the pressure. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"What?" he asked, confused at her apology. "What are you saying sorry for?"

"I don't know, really," she answered. "Perhaps the hate you're feeling, or the pain you have suffered knowing you were unjustly accused, or perhaps the knowledge that you would never see your best friends ever again and maybe not even the woman who loves you."

He kissed her forehead and then tipped her chin so he could look into her sea-blue eyes. "But I see you now, Faith," he told her softly. He circled her face, outlining her features with his finger. "I am here now. Oh, how I have missed you."

He hungrily took her lips, kissing her with a passion he had long since forgotten. She welcomed his hunger and passion both, wrapping her arms around his body and taking the pleasure she had long missed. He hoped never to be parted from her again, yet he knew this night was all he could ask for, for now at least, until it was safe and they could be together again. For tonight he took from her and gave to her, and made up for twelve years of absence. He cherished every inch of her body while she no doubt memorized his.

~*~*~

She looked at his sleeping form, beside her, and smiled to herself gently. She had been awake for the past hour, not wanting to wake and find him not there anymore in the morning. It had seemed to her throughout her conversation with Sirius and then with her lovemaking with him, that he was just a dream. She had dreamed it so many times and she hesitated to believe he was really, truly there.

She reached out and stroked his freshly shaven cheek, daring to believe he was there. But then his own hand captured hers and she gasped an intake of breath. He really was there. He groaned slightly and she found herself being pulled forward onto his bare chest. Sirius's arms wrapped themselves around her own body and she breathed his scent, wanting to remember everything perfectly.

"You've been watching me?" Sirius whispered hoarsely into her ear.

She smiled, "Yes."

"Making sure I'm not a hallucination? Figment of your imagination?" he inquired.

"Yes," she replied languidly. "I've dreamt it for so long. I don't think this will seem real to me until I can have you again forever."

Sirius's hands wandered around her own hand until they came to the ring on her left hand. "You didn't take it off?" he asked, almost surprised.

"No," she said, "I couldn't bring myself to. It would have been like giving up and accepting you were lost forever. But yet, here you are."

Sirius chuckled. "I am here, yes. And so are you." He reached around and let Faith slip to the mattress while he hovered above her. He kissed each of her eyelids, her nose and then finally her mouth. "Believe that I am here, Faith. Believe that I was here even when I have gone. I have protected you for twelve years. I will continue to do so." He kissed her again and then held back. "When things are safe again. When I am no longer threatened, I will come for you. I promise."

She looked up to him, into his blue-grey eyes, with love and admiration. She smiled. "I know you will."

He kissed her once more, passionately and without a seeming end, before he released her. He stood beside the bed and dressed in the fresh clothes that Faith had found for him. She had thankfully disposed of his Azkaban attire, for he didn't want her to be implicated for harbouring a fugitive. When he was fully clothed he reached towards Faith who still lay on the bed, her figure shrouded by the darkness of the room and the single sheet that covered her. She feared his departure, for she knew it would hurt. But she knew he must do it.

Sirius opened his mouth to speak but Faith beat him to it. "I'll wait for you," she said, repeating the words he'd requested of her those long years ago. "I promise I will."

He bent over and kissed her on the forehead, she held onto his head for as long as he would let her before he stood once more. And then he vanished.

Silently Faith gathered the sheet about her naked body and crossed to the window that showed an illuminated backyard, displaying Sirius climbing onto the back of his hippogriff and riding off into the moonlight.

He was gone. Faith felt a harsh emptiness inside of her. He was gone. But one thing she felt for absolute certainly…he would be back. They would be together again. They'd made a promise. They had hope.


	11. Homecoming

Chapter Eleven: Homecoming

_Faith,_

_I have found a stable residence. Come and live with me. It's at the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. We will be safe here. Tomorrow night there will be a group of Aurors, good friends of the Order, who will come and collect you. Please don't be alarmed. I have told them not to frighten, but sometimes they don't listen all that well. Please come. _

_Love, _

_Sirius_

***

Faith replaced the letter in the back of the picture frame and tied back her long brown hair and resumed the de-Doxying the curtains in the giant sitting room of The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. She and Sirius had been living here for the past few months at Number 12 Grimmauld Place. This was Sirius's childhood London house. The few months spent at Black Mansion beside the Duncan's was nothing compared to the ages that Sirius had spent here before he was sixteen and ran away from home. Faith hadn't known what a miserable place the Black house could be, but after spending the time with Sirius and the Weasley's along with Remus and a few genuinely selected Aurors, she was beginning to feel more a prisoner than a permanent resident.

Sirius was taking it much worse that she was however. He wasn't used to being cooped up in a house he'd loathed since childhood, especially given Sirius's energetic nature. Just the other night he had been howling to the winds with Remus about how useless he felt. He'd done the Order a valuable service by offering up his family home as Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix, but just as Faith, he felt more trapped than helpful.

And besides being a prisoner in what was supposed to be her own home now, Faith was getting sick and tired of getting rid of Doxys, Puffskeins, and all manners of hideous poisonous creatures that happened to reside in this house, as well as many others. For instance, the Weasley's had been living at Number 12 as long as she and Sirius. Not a day went by that Faith didn't fall into a deep entrenched conversation with one of the Weasley children, most fascinatingly Ginny Weasley, the youngest of the family. She sometimes felt rather left out being the only girl as well as youngest of the six brothers, only four of which lived at Grimmauld Place. Bill was the eldest; Fred and George were the twins, regular troublemakers, and Ron, best friend to Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.

Faith had also been making friends with Hermione and Ron as often as she could. She was anxious to meet Harry and as he was arriving this afternoon she knew she had little time to wait before the moment was finally presented. Sirius had been singing his praise most days and also couldn't wait for Harry to come and visit. Faith couldn't wait because Sirius couldn't wait, and it seemed that the whole Order was nail-bent on protecting Harry anyways, so why shouldn't she be anxious?

At the moment Hermione sat beside Faith, clutching an old book in her hands. Faith shook her head. Hermione reminded her so much of Lily, for she too had had a great passion for books and knowledge.

"What have you got there, Hermione?" Faith drawled through her protective mask.

Hermione's head snapped up and she smiled, "It's just a book on the properties of Doxy poison. _Dreyfuss' Doxy Deductions_ it's called. Donald Dreyfuss was the foremost expert on Doxy poison in the nineteenth century. He 'deduced' that it's poison could also be used as an antidote on insect stings and also the bites of rare dragons. Fascinating, isn't it?"

Faith turned and stood, pulling the mask from her face. "Absolutely," she conceded. Hermione, as Sirius had often commented, really was the most brilliant witch of her time.

Hermione sighed and closed the book with a SNAP! "It's a good thing that the Black's had a copy of this or else we would never have found the actual antidote for a Doxy bite."

Faith laughed, "Yeah. Must've kept them as pets, eh? The Blacks. For what else would one need a book on Doxy Deductions if one didn't like Doxys? It's better than _Guilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pets_ in any case."

Hermione nodded and smiled briefly before the door burst open and Molly Weasley drifted in. "Hermione? Oh Faith, you were just who I was looking for. He's here and the meeting has just started. Hermione, you had best go to your room and wait for Harry."

Hermione grumbled before leaving the room and Faith removed her mask completely and put down the bottle of Doxicide. She pulled her hair loose once more and shook out the apron she'd been using around her waist. Molly had followed Hermione out of the room and Faith was left to find her way down to the kitchen by herself. She'd grown accustomed to not being waited on hand and foot, even though she was a newcomer to the Order, as well as new to half of the people staying at Grimmauld Place. Sirius still treated her with grace and respect, but when she wanted something done she'd learned not to ask anyone else and just do it. As well, finding her way throughout the enormous house had been quite challenging at first but she'd gotten used to it in the end.

She came to the bottom landing and Sirius was standing outside the door to the kitchen, the Order's usual meeting area, waiting for Faith to come down. He held out his hand to her and held open the door. It was these small, seemingly insignificant gestures that really touched the soft spots of Faith's heart and warmed her to the very core. Sirius was so thoughtful sometimes and it definitely showed.

Sirius had willingly accepted her admittance into the Order after she arrived. It was useless for him to believe, as she had used in her argument, that she would willingly sit around while he and everyone else in this house was in a meeting. She was old enough to take care of herself, as she had been doing for the past fourteen years without him. He certainly hadn't taken kindly to being brought to that point so quickly after her arrival, but he conceded and the first Order meeting she had was a rather exciting one. Sirius had tiptoed around all the violent and unseemly nature of certain things before Faith had said it outright: "I know what you're doing Sirius Black, and I appreciate the effort. But I want it straight up like all the rest. Cut to the chase, skip the bullshit and give it to me straight. Don't sugar coat it, or else."

After that he hadn't sugar coated it and cut straight to the chase. Now, sitting down at her regular seat at table beside Sirius, she had a firm standing in the Order and said her opinion when necessary.

***

It had been a long and tiring meeting, going over facts that Faith acknowledged had already been reiterated several times in previous meetings and needn't another word said about them. After finally getting to the point there was a commotion in the front room and screams and wails echoed throughout the house. Faith shook her head, recognizing the screams from Walburga Black, Sirius's mother, whose portrait hung in the foyer. Sirius and Remus rushed out of the kitchen, darting straight for Mrs. Black's curtains, which had flung open after the clatter of the umbrella stand that Nymphadora Tonks had just unceremoniously knocked over.

Faith rushed into the room behind Sirius and Remus, covering her ears diligently, and could only stand and watch as they struggled with the curtains and Tonks looked to be apologizing endlessly to Molly.

Upon finally getting the curtains closed Faith turned to see Sirius talking to a strikingly tall boy with jet-black hair and green bespectacled eyes. "Harry," Faith whispered. She'd only seen him as a young baby and now here he was a full-grown fifteen-year-old teenager.

Sirius must've heard Faith's whisper and turned to look at Faith. All eyes in the room now flashed between Harry and Faith. Molly was smiling, as was Tonks now, the same with Remus, Kingsley Shacklebolt and several other family members who stood milling about after Mrs. Black's screeches had ceased.

Sirius cleared his throat as Harry looked at Faith, no doubt wondering who she was. "Harry Potter," Sirius said, "This is Faith Duncan, your Godmother, and my fiancée."

Harry's mouth dropped. It was evident that no one had previously mentioned Faith, and she knew that it was on Dumbledore's orders that no one let slip anymore than necessary in the post.

Faith slipped forward and held out her hand to Harry. "Harry Potter," she whispered. He hesitantly took her hand and clasped it shortly. "I know you've never heard of me before," she told him, "but I hope that at the very least, you and I can become friends." She felt Sirius's hand on her shoulder, just as clarification that he felt something more than friendship for her, displaying the little amount of affection for Harry's sake. Up until then, Harry had probably thought Sirius was a bachelor, a lone wolf, so to speak, not to be confused with a werewolf.

Harry smiled. "Nice to meet you Faith," he said, sounding much as James had when he was fifteen. "I would like that, very much." Faith couldn't help but wonder if Harry saw Sirius as a step-in father, and now with Faith there, he also had a step-in mother.

She smiled back at Harry and then at Sirius. He smiled back. Before anyone knew it, Molly Weasley was rounding everyone up for dinner. The teenagers had been upstairs during the meeting and now it was time for some well-deserved food.

***

Sirius watched as Faith talked to Tonks, Ginny and Hermione all throughout dinner. Harry had chosen to sit beside him, and Sirius felt quite at home having his godson beside him and his fiancée across from him. It was like having a family. Every once in a while Sirius caught a glimpse of Faith's eyes glancing back and forth between Harry and her own conversation. Sirius thought it was so nice to see her reaching out for her godson. She hadn't had the same connection with him as Sirius had with Harry two years ago, but she was noticeably making an effort to be that godmother figure that both James and Lily had wanted.

Sirius's mind then remembered a night long ago, fifteen years to be exact, when Harry had been just been born and Faith had asked him if he had wanted a boy or a girl as a child. He'd said a girl because it would be a replica of Faith herself except with dark brown curls like Sirius instead of copper-color hair like Faith. It had been an enticing thought and now, more than anything, he would love a child with his fiancée.

Faith had told him though that she didn't want any baby of theirs born out of wedlock, and she had also told him she didn't want to marry him inside Grimmauld Place, which was where they were both confined to at the moment. Faith would go out every once in a while, but she felt guilty because Sirius was no allowed to also. Dumbledore had said that while Sirius was still being hunted, he should stay inside and out of sight. He hated the idea, but he respected it.

Dinner progressed and afterwards Faith left the table saying she was tired and went upstairs to their room. Sirius had shared the nights with her for the past few months since she'd been there. It was so nice having a warm body beside him after years of spending the nights in a prison cell in Azkaban. Sirius decided to stay behind and talk to Harry, bring him up to speed with the Order's dealings. It took little over an hour to explain and Sirius was glad to have quality time with his godson, much to the protesting of Molly Weasley. She believed in the innocence of her children, even if Harry was more Sirius's than hers.

After everything had been explained, Harry looked relieved that he wasn't being left out anymore, as well as glad to be included in things that were certainly far beyond his maturity level. But, being his father's son, Sirius believed that Harry could handle anything that was thrown at him.

They all clambered out of the kitchen and up to the various floors that housed their various bedrooms and Sirius said goodnight to Harry on the second floor while he continued upwards to the topmost landing which only held two bedrooms, his own and what used to be his younger brother's.

Sirius opened his bedroom door and saw the sleeping form of Faith on the bed. The bedroom had been transformed since Faith's arrival, turning from dull and drab to bright and welcoming. Faith had stripped the long velvet curtains and replaced them with long silky ones the color of morning sun. The rug had been scrubbed several times and was now pristine clean and smelled slightly of lavender. The room reflected the Gryffindor colors, a surprise that Faith had conjured. "It'll feel more like your old home," she said, referring to his dormitories at Hogwarts.

Banners of Gryffindor hung and pictures of Sirius and James and everyone else were on every surface, including Faith's own dresser that she'd brought from her father's house.

Sirius sighed as he approached the large bed that held the center of the room, including the large and brilliantly carved headboard. Faith, who then stirred, was covered in the golden blanket that was draped over the bed. Yes, the room felt much more like a home for Sirius when Faith was in his bed and the colors reflected some of the best years of his life with James and Lily at Hogwarts.

Getting undressed, Sirius found himself immersed in the idea of a family. In the last two years since escaping he'd led a rather sheltered life in his old family home, a place he'd never considered returning to. His only family had been his friends and Faith. But now, with his freedom almost visible on the horizon, he could begin to get used to the idea of a new life with children and Faith by his side. He was out of his clothes and then slid into his bed. Faith, who had stirred before, remained motionless at the rustling of the sheets and shifting of the mattress.

He debated on letting her sleep. She'd be in bed at least an hour now, and he so wanted to feel her warmth now. He gently shook her shoulder and she rolled onto her back, her eyes fluttering open when she realized Sirius was with her.

"Are you ok?" Faith asked huskily, almost as if she suspected something was bothering Sirius.

"Of course," Sirius replied, bending over to kiss her delicate lips briefly. "I am almost perfect right now." He had a question at the back of his mind, irking him to ask it. "How did you like Harry?"

Faith smiled warmly and said, "I love him. He's a bright kid."

"Yes, he is. Much like James." He paused for a moment before kissing her once more.

"He looks up to you a lot now," Faith observed. "My guess is you are the only father figure he will ever have."

Sirius felt the weight and responsibility on his shoulders of the idea Faith put forth. He hadn't wanted to take James's place as Harry's father, but it seemed that without much of anyone's knowledge, it had happened all the same. "He's been through so much," Sirius whispered, more to himself than to Faith.

"So have you," she countered. "You're both survivors, my love," she said. "You survived Azkaban with as much finesse as you could manage. Harry too will survive these troubling years that fate seems to have brought on us all."

Bringing her close to his body, molding hers to his, he breathed into her hair, marveling at her wisdom. "Fate, destiny, Faith. It would seem you are a walking oracle."

Faith laughed lightly in his arms. "I predict a marriage, children, a family and a long and happy life."

"You're amazing," Sirius chuckled, trying to bring her closer to him in the process.

"And I predict a swift and painful death if you continue squeezing me like that," Faith laughed, her strain for breath evident.

After a few moments of silence Sirius said, "You know, I never would have thought this house could feel like such a home to me now. Years of torture and abandonment here have now ultimately led to some of the most blissful months I have ever known with you."

"It's a good thing this wasn't your only home thought. You had many homes, one of which used to be right beside mine. Can you imagine what it would have been like if I hadn't lived right beside you in the summer times when we were younger?"

Sirius growled playfully before muttering, "No." He kissed her once more, this time with fire and passion. "And I don't want to either."


	12. Homecoming II

Chapter Twelve: Homecoming – Part II

When Faith wasn't with Sirius she spent her every waking moment with Harry and his friends. She was fascinated at how much he reminded her of both his parents. She had resisted the urge to tell him so however because she suspected he got that a lot. Everyone else had told her that he was the spitting image of his parents and so he probably got it much more in passing conversation than she had at first. Yes, he had his parents in him quite a lot, but then there were also other traits and features she was beginning to see.

He was a troubled teen. That much was certain. With his life being threatened at every turn, his friends being enigmatic and secrets flying around the house 24/7 at Grimmauld Place, it was no wonder he had problems dealing with his temper. More than once had Faith heard him having a heated argument with his friends and it seemed he spent a lot of the time trying to understand their motives. They were his friends and wanted to protect him as much as any member of the Order, and yet he felt the weight of their secrets even more than they did. He'd been kept in the dark for most of the summer, and now it was like wave after wave of information colliding into him, which Faith suspected couldn't be the least bit pleasant.

He had been invited back to several of the Order's meetings, on Sirius and Faith's requests. Faith believed, as Sirius did, that Harry was a grown boy, mature and advanced for his age, and he needed to have a say in the happenings of the Order more than any other person involved. It revolved around his life in any case. Voldemort was after some sort of weapon to produce a war inside the restraints of the wizarding world, and at the heart of the battle was Harry in front with the Order in behind, trying to fend off this impending doom. Faith watched daily as Harry dealt with bad news after bad news.

Together, Faith and Sirius did their best to look after their godson, sometimes to no avail, and other times when they made the slightest dent in his imploding fears. To Faith, it was much harder to become a part of Harry's life than it was for the others. He was more willing to talk to Ron and Hermione than to Faith, which frustrated her. Sirius tried to tell her, "It's just his nature. He's grown up with fears of who he can trust. He didn't trust me at the beginning. Just give it time. He'll come 'round."

Faith seriously doubted it would be before the school year came, and then she would go back to her daily routine of de-Doxying curtains or banishing Boggarts from bedroom wardrobes. What she really needed was some air. She found the perfect opportunity when the teenagers, escorted by Rubeus Hagrid, Arthur and Molly Weasley, and Alastor Moody, took their yearly trip to Diagon Alley. It had been a while since she had ventured through the shops situated in the magical alley, and she quite felt it was high time she got some fresh air.

Sirius put up a fight of course, wanting to keep her closer to Grimmauld Place. "I don't want you going out there. It's too dangerous for you."

Faith hated pulling the reverse card but desperate times called for desperate measures. "No Sirius. It's too dangerous for _you_. I am a perfectly legal, perfectly innocent member of wizarding society and have not yet been implicated as your fiancée. I need to get out of here."

"And you think I don't?" he asked, slowly becoming infuriated. "I've been stuck inside for the better part of six months, Faith. Stuck to wander the halls of a house I never wanted to step foot in again. _I _need some fresh air!"

Her head dropped. She hated what being 'on the run' was doing to him. He was becoming a prisoner in his own home. After twelve years of Azkaban, Grimmauld Place didn't seem to be much better for him.

She felt his hand on her chin and her head leveled once more with his. His eyes, pleading and yet sorry, looked straight into her own sea-blue pair. "Go," he conceded. "But promise me you'll come back."

She almost broke down and cried then. He was afraid of something happening to her mostly. Guilty for leaving him like this, while also feeling selfish for her own needs, she hugged him gently, nuzzling her head into his shoulder. "Of course I'll come back."

Faith kissed Sirius goodbye at the front door of Number 12 Grimmauld Place that day and stepped out with the entourage of Aurors and Hogwarts students into the grey and murky weather. It was better this way. If it had been a beautiful and sunny day, perfect weather for someone like Sirius who was energetic and thrived on the good things in life, Faith would have regretted her choice to go out. But the weather had cooperated for once and it stayed grey, a light drizzle blanketing the cobblestone streets of London, with a breath of fog around every corner.

They set off in search of the illusive-to-muggles bar, the Leaky Cauldron, at a brisk walk. The precaution to get in out of the open air was just because of Harry. That was also the reason for the escort of Aurors and one half giant.

When they arrived at the Leaky Cauldron Faith shivered from the change from damp to warm and cozy. She was surprised and a little frightened at the sight of a few former classmates. All customers of the Leaky Cauldron averted their eyes however as the Aurors sent a wave of authority over the quiet and dingy place. They then proceeded into the backyard where Hagrid pulled out his pink umbrella and tapped at the stone bricks that opened into the Diagon Alley gateway.

Faith watched Harry as the stones receded to produce the street lined with shops and bustling with students. His face was set in a scowl, his mouth set in a hard thin line. The time had passed long before when he would have marveled at the idea of walls moving and secret streets popping up in the middle of nowhere. At age fifteen he seemed so much older than the eleven-year-old novice wizard four years earlier. Having grown up with a witch mother and a muggle father, Faith had also grown up with magic. Harry however, having grown up with his muggle aunt and uncle, was made to believe he wasn't special, small, and insignificant. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine there was a secret wizarding world where he would soon become entrenched at the hub.

As the train of teenagers and Aurors walked down Diagon Alley, Faith continued to watch Harry. Whilst the others were looking over their lists frantically, wondering what they were going to need, Harry stood beside them silent. He didn't look as though he wanted to be there. His eyes continued passing over the crowd, as if he were searching for something and yet not searching for something at the same time.

Faith then walked over to him, nudged him gently, playfully, "What's up? You don't seem like you're so in to this shopping thing."

Harry glanced at her briefly before replying, "Not really."

Faith could tell he didn't want to divulge his secrets to her. He didn't want to share his thoughts with anyone except his friends and Sirius no doubt. Faith pushed on however. "Hey," she said, "It's just me. You can talk to me you know."

He rejected politely with a slight "No thanks" and went back to brooding in silence.

Faith let the subject drop and the silence mounted between the two. While the others went into all the shops, she, Harry and Auror Mad-Eye Moody stood in the street.

Faith then had a sudden idea. She grabbed hold of Harry's arm, "Come with me." She pulled him then towards Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.

Harry opened his mouth to object. "Um…I don't really—"

"Nope," Faith stopped him. "I won't take no for an answer. Nor will I take any other answer except for 'Yes thank you' and the flavour of ice cream you want."

Harry gave in and replied, "Okay…blueberry watermelon, thanks."

"Wonderful choice," Faith observed before turning to order both hers and Harry's. "One blueberry watermelon and one chocolate cherry mint-berry lemon swirl."

Harry's eyebrows rose at her choice. "Chocolate cherry mint-berry lemon swirl?" he asked skeptically.

"Yeah," Faith said, accepting her ice cream and handing Harry his. He muttered his thank you before taking a lick. "Chocolate cherry mint-berry lemon swirl was the first flavor my mother bought me my first trip to Diagon Alley when I was eleven. She told me that it would bring me good luck and good grades in school."

"And did it?" Harry asked.

"Well," Faith said in between licks, "After meeting your mum I knew I'd never be that great at school. And then I did have a pretty tough time with Sirius for a good and long many years." She paused, tasting her ice cream again. "It's still got that same kick though, this ice cream. A lot of people are turned off by the amount of flavors in it. But it's that something you wait your whole life to taste. And once you do, your life is never the same again."

Harry looked at her questioningly, the question he wanted to ask on the tip of his tongue. "Was it that way for you and…Sirius?" he asked almost hesitantly, as if he were testing her. "Did you wait your whole life to find him?"

She smiled. "Truth is I never really had a tough time finding Sirius. He was always there, hiding in the wings I guess. It was more of just me learning to trust myself that he wasn't the pureblooded sod like his brother, or other relatives were. It took time for me to see the same thing your dad saw; the fun side of the Sirius who was freewheeling and carefree." She shrugged then. "I just got lucky I guess."

Harry frowned then, still eating his ice cream. "How do you mean?"

Faith smiled before responding, "Turns out he was waiting for me too."

~*~*~

Walking towards the brilliant scarlet steam engine, Faith held her head high with memories of Hogwarts when she was a young girl of fifteen. Watching Harry and his friends say their goodbyes to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Alastor Moody and other Aurors lucky enough to have the task of guarding a fifteen year old, Faith beamed at her newfound godson.

In the week since going to Diagon Alley, Harry had been compelled to come to Faith numerous times and ask questions, with answers that Faith was more than willing to give. Mostly he asked about his parents and how they acted when they were his age. Faith took her time and expressed every detail she remembered about her long-lost friends.

"Your Mum, aside from emerald green eyes, had simple features that most people missed. She was incredibly kind and incredibly gifted for being muggle-born. Not that it's any surprise now seeing Hermione accomplish spells I couldn't do until my seventh year. But your Mum, she was a gem. A really great witch."

Or the conversation would turn to James, his father, a role model that was only now beginning to be filled with Sirius. "James…well the night you were born he was scared out of his knickers, that's for certain. He thought the world of your Mum, so he paced, he was afraid you wouldn't make it, either you or your Mum. But gosh other than being a softy for your Mum, he was the biggest troublemaker. Couldn't make it out of that place alive without having a prank being pulled on you. James got me in our sixth year. I'm not repeating what he did. My lips are sealed." She smiled at her godson as he absorbed all the goodies she was providing him of his parents' past.

Now, as she said goodbye to his friends, wishing them each a good year, promising to write, she looked longingly towards the train. The Hogwarts Express was something she missed so much. Her need to belong to a home again was stronger than an Unstick charm produced by Merlin himself. Beside her trotted the black dog of Sirius's Animagus, seeing Harry off and getting out of the house for once. Sirius had literally begged to be let out and feel the wind in his hair…er…fur. So she and several objective Order members conceded that he might come, but only in his Animagus form.

As the black dog wagged his tail back and forth, Faith watched as Sirius and Harry had a moment together on the platform. Harry patted Sirius on the back affectionately and Sirius's paw waved about. Harry took it and shook it gently. Whispering to Sirius, Harry said goodbye and promised he would write as often as he could. There was a connection between godfather and godson that Faith couldn't understand. She thought of how horrible it was that Harry had had to grow up without any of that love and affection she could have provided. She had to disappear though. Too many people had known she was with Sirius back then. His muggle aunt and uncle were, if not better people for Harry, they were safer for him. Surprisingly so however, missing out on that affection all his childhood had not prevented Harry from becoming a very friendly and outgoing person.

Harry then turned to her and a smile erupted onto his face. This gave her such joy that she could hardly contain herself from reaching across and hugging him soundly. Instead she held out her hand, for though she was a resource of all the much-needed information about his parents, she was still practically a stranger to him. Indeed much more than Sirius was, whom he had met two years previously. "Well Harry," Faith said, taking his hand with both of her smaller ones, "It's been great spending time with you."

He nodded, "Yeah, you too." He paused for a moment before adding, "I'll try to—"

"—Write," Faith finished for him with a smile. "That'd be great. For the both of us." She knowingly looked down at Sirius whose tongue was lolling out the side of his mouth, his eyes looked from Faith to Harry with intrigue. Faith smiled at him. Taking her arm and wrapping it around Harry's broad shoulders Faith said, "Thanks for being such a good sport. I've enjoyed our time to get to know each other."

"Me too," Harry replied.

"Now get," she laughed, trying to make light of their heart-to-heart moment, "And don't get into _too_ much trouble." She winked.

Harry laughed and replied, "I won't."

With that he stepped onto the train and waved goodbye from the door and Sirius and Faith meandered back down the platform, following their godson as he found his compartment. Waving goodbye from the compartment window, Harry waved to his godparents as the train disappeared behind the corner.

***

"Good day Alastor," Faith said briefly before closing the door of Number 12 Grimmauld Place once more. The house was quiet now, as the last of the Aurors on Harry-duty had left. Sirius had disappeared through the door immediately upon entering and the others had quietly filed out, leaving only Faith and Sirius behind. The next Order meeting wasn't scheduled until tomorrow night and Faith was quite pleased at the idea of some alone time with her fiancé.

She walked along the corridor beside the stairs and stopped by the room that she rarely ventured into. It was what Sirius called "the Family Tree room". He didn't venture in there often, so Faith was curious that she found him in this room now.

"Sirius?" He looked up from the square of tapestry he had been examining rather closely and smiled a little. "What are you doing in here?" Faith asked.

Sirius, giving her his usual charming smile, replied rather cryptically, "Trying to see if my family still remembers me."

Faith nearly laughed and yet he had said it in an almost serious tone. Instead she just frowned.

This was where Sirius laughed. "Have I grown another head?"

Faith shook her head, "Not at all." She reached forward to take his hand. "I remember you."

Kissing her forehead he said, "I know you do. You're the best family I could ever have asked for, a constant in my ever-changing life. But these people, my blood, I wonder if they still remember me? Even those who have died."

"Oh I should think so," Faith returned. After sighing she continued, "But I don't think that should matter all that much. They often say that blood is thicker than water, which of course it is. But that isn't always the most important when it comes to family I don't think. It's continuity. It's the people who care for you in return that make up your true family. Even those who have died, our dear friends who cannot stand by us today, they are the ones who remember us best. Because we remember them the best."

Sirius thought, contemplating her words. "My true blood-brother was no more to me than an acquaintance when we were younger. James and I were always brothers. Right from the start."

Faith nodded, "Yes, I remember. Thick as thieves. You might as well have been blood brothers. You stood by each other. It's a thing I have and always will admire about you. And James."

Sirius turned to look down at Faith. Her eyes sparkled in the light given off by the lone oil lamp in the room. Ducking his head he brushed his lips against hers. Holding her close he whispered into her hair, "What would I ever have done without you?"

Faith's smile crept across her face. "It doesn't matter. We have each other now and that's all that matters. And we have Harry, and old friends and new friends. What else could we hope for?"

"Mhmm," Sirius murmured into her hair once more. Taking her head in his hands he brought them together once again, placing kiss after delicate kiss on the woman he loved.


	13. Hell

**Chapter Thirteen: Hell**

Faith stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom looking from side to side at her face. Where had all these wrinkles come from? Hadn't it been just yesterday that she was a sixteen-year-old teenage girl whose biggest problem was wondering what to wear the next day, or what she would get on her exams. Something had gone terribly amiss throughout the years. Things hadn't turned out the way she had expected them to. She doubted anyone's lives turned out as they planned, or expected, but she still had had hope that they would.

She looked at the wrinkles in the corners of her eyes and her forehead when she frowned. She guessed she had done a lot of frowning over the years. Sirius would joke and say that the wrinkles were laugh lines because of how funny he was, and she had to admit some of that was true. She knew that at her age there was no use in trying to feel young again because it would never come. Thinking back to the summer previous and again at Christmas watching Harry and his friends, she had had more than one nostalgic moment where she wished to turn back the clock.

But as the days got darker with each passing moment she couldn't help but feel the foreboding doom that seemed to be closing the walls in on her and Sirius.

Leaving the bathroom now she descended a flight of stairs and found Sirius in what used to be the sitting room. He was sitting in a moth-eaten chair with his hand resting under his chin staring off into the distance. She doubted very much that he was looking that intently at the weathered wallpaper or the crown molding around the ceiling. He often sat like this for hours on end. Faith had been compelled to ask him upon many occasions what was troubling him so, but she never had.

She turned quietly from the room now and descended the rest of the stairs and down the hall towards the kitchen to leave Sirius in peace. He would come to her when he was ready. She had known that for a long time and now over the past few months he had grown increasingly quiet, but he always came back to her.

She halted at the kitchen door hearing voices inside. No one else was supposed to be here except for Sirius and herself. Still she heard whispered voices from two people in the kitchen. One was frantic and almost ethereal while the other's was coarse and halting, the sentences badly constructed. She pushed the door open silently, her suspicions and wits about her in case there was trouble. She entered in time to see a flash of green flame burn and then flicker out in the fireplace as Kreacher turned away from it.

Kreacher was not her favorite of house-elves. He had a firm loyalty towards the Blacks except Sirius, whom he believed was a blood traitor. He often muttered it under his breath that his "Mistress" would be shocked and outraged at the riff-raff that Sirius had let into the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. It was safe to say then that Faith did not like Kreacher in the slightest, and was highly suspicious of his actions, especially just now.

"Kreacher!" she said firmly, using the voice that she had often heard Sirius use with him. Though the house elf paid her no ill-will, he did not entirely respect her either, despite her connection with Sirus.

"Yes, Mistress," he said in his small and coarse voice. The tone held no respect whatsoever, and the word 'mistress' seemed almost forced through his grey lips.

"Kreacher, what were you doing in here? I heard another voice."

"Another voice, Mistress? Nay, it was only poor Kreacher talking to himself."

"Don't lie to me Kreacher! I know you are sneaking about with your own agenda. You will tell me immediately what you were doing in here and who you were talking to."

Instead of answering her directly, or even answering her demands at all, Kreacher shifted to the side to walk out of the kitchen and began muttering under his breath again. "Nasty half-blood thinks she is in charge of Kreacher. She is no better than the blood-traitor Sirius Black. If only Kreacher's mistress was alive, she would set this house right."

Faith watched closely as Kreacher walked right out of the kitchen door, making no attempt to stop him. She didn't trust him to any amount and she knew he was up to something. Her heart beat frantically at what was transpiring without her knowledge of what that was. And when she heard the loud CRACK! of Kreacher disapparating she knew something was wrong.

She fled the kitchen and as suspected, Kreacher was nowhere in sight, and she continued up the hall and then the first flight of stairs. She was at the first landing and about to ascend the second set of stairs there was a knock at the door. It was faint enough that it didn't send Walburga Black's portrait into a fit of screams and yells, but loud enough to know someone of the Order was at the door.

She knew that this wasn't a surprise leisurely visit, those kinds of things were not reserved for Number 12 Grimmauld Place, so she called up the stairs to Sirius, alerting him that someone was at the door.

She descended once again and peeked through the hole. Stiffening immediately she noted briefly that it was not one of her favorite people in the Order but because Dumbledore trusted him, she had no choice but to trust him as well.

She opened the door for Severus Snape and then demanded what he was doing here, her disgust at his presence far more transparent in her voice than she would have liked.

Snape noted the tone of voice but ignored it with the crook of one of his eyebrows. "I'm afraid I bring distressing news," he said smoothly before turning to look over Faith's shoulder. Sirius was coming down the stairs with much the same look of disgust on his face as had been on Faith's. "And before you make a comment as to my presence, hear what I have to say. Potter barely got the message out before disappearing."

"Harry?" Sirius said confused.

"That is the only Potter still living, is it not!" Snape snapped before continuing. "Potter's vision before Christmas is only the first. He has apparently had another because he simply repeated 'He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden.' I can only assume that he means you and believes you have been captured and taken deep into the heart of the Department of Mysteries."

Sirius cursed and Faith's hand came up to her mouth in shock. This news could only mean one thing. She looked at Sirius and he had come to the same conclusion. Voldemort had managed to manipulate the things Harry was seeing to support his own cause. Harry was walking into a trap.

Sirius was still pacing and cursing when Faith came to her senses and turned back to Snape. "Severus, raise the alarm. Have every available Auror make haste to the Ministry of Magic within the hour. Give them the details as you have given us. We will leave at once."

It was at this moment that Sirius made his first coherent move towards Snape. He lunged forward in attempt to get his hands around Snape's neck. Faith caught him just in time. "This is your fault," Sirius was saying, still struggling with Faith. "You were supposed to be helping him. You were supposed to be protecting him from Voldemort's mind. I thought Occlumency was supposed to help him, instead it's weakened his mind."

Snape backed up towards the door. He held his chin high, "Harry stopped those lessons months ago. He refused. I was trying to help him, despite both your beliefs." He nodded to Faith and then left the house.

Faith managed to push Sirius back far enough to slap him across the face, bringing him back to the situation at present. He blinked in shock at the slap and she stood before him with her finger pointed at his chest. "You listen to me Sirius Black, attacking an old classmate is not going to solve this. You should be ashamed. You're first reaction should have been exactly as mine was. I fear for Harry's life. So get up off your high horse and start acting like you're supposed to be acting. Harry is in danger and you can think of nothing better to do than attack Severus Snape?!"

This seemed to recover Sirius's sensibilities and he grabbed Faith's hand and rushed up the stairs towards his bedroom. Once in the room he threw on a jacket and grabbed his wand. Faith did the same, as well as tying her hair back from her face.

She turned to Sirius again who was waiting for her. She had concerns about his coming that she needed to voice. She didn't want him to come for a two primary reasons. Firstly, they were headed to the Ministry of Magic, where there would be wizards and witches who had been assigned to finding him for the past two years. Secondly, if he was caught then she would never see him again and this would be the worst of all her fears. But then Faith knew Sirius and she also knew how much he loved Harry, and he would not let her talk him out of going to rescue his godson. And if she did say something, then he would likely say something about the dangers of her going and she didn't want to risk that when there were more important things at hand. So Faith stayed silent as Sirius grabbed her hand again and spurned her down the stairs and into the kitchen.

They stood a foot length apart from each other and Apparated directly to the bottom most level of the Ministry; the Department of Mysteries. Both Sirius and Faith had been there, once a long time ago, when Sirius was being sentenced to life imprisonment and Faith to see him for what she believed to be the last time. It was dark and cold and it took a few moments for their eyes to adjust.

A moment after her eyes could make out the shapes in the corridor where they had apparated, Faith saw the outline of a form ahead of them. Her wand at the ready, she had just enough time to Shield the charm that came whizzing towards them. "Halt your charms or I'll reduce you to dust," she cried out.

The form walked towards her and a small light appeared at the end of their wand. "I'd like to see you just try that, Duncan."

In a sigh of relief she and Sirius rushed forward at the familiar voice. "Moody," Sirius said. "What are you doing out here?"

"I'm the sentinel waiting for the rest of you to get here. There's no sense in going in wand blazing with no back up." No sooner had he spoken than several loud CRACKS! rent the air and there were several others standing behind them, wands also raised with small glowing lights on the ends. "Right then," Moody continued, "now that we're all here, let's go over the game plan. We are to extract the teenagers, no more than six I was told. If we engage, it is simply to save them, not to pick a fight with the Death Eaters. Be on you're guards, everyone. And good luck to you."

The group entered a small circular room with several doors surrounding the edges. There was only one room that showed the flashing lights of spells being shot around a room, apparent by the crack at the bottom of the door. Moody opened the door and Faith saw the drop off that told her the floor was at least twenty feet below. Around the edges of the room the Death Eaters had grabbed the five of Harry's friends who had accompanied him while Harry was standing in the center of the room near the giant veiled archway with Lucius Malfoy. Sirius shoved past Faith and Moody, growling his plans as he passed before apparating. He then appeared again, down in the room a few feet away from Harry.

Faith watched as he walked up, spoke a few words before walloping Lucius in the jaw. Moody then grumbled, "That's our cue!" and he, Faith and the other's Apparated to several different surfaces around the room.

Faith stood closest to Hermione and the Death Eater with his wand to her throat. With a few quick and calculated flicks of her wand, the Death Eater was on the ground and Hermione was scrambling to reclaim her wand from him. "Stay close to me," Faith prompted Hermione, once again raising her wand and shooting a spell across the room towards a man who was preparing to curse Remus. He nodded his thanks to her.

A few more spells shot around the room at the straggling Death Eaters and Faith felt the end was near. She searched and saw all the Aurors on their feet with a teenager close to their sides. The teens did not sit by idly however, for they knew how to fight and they fought well, with spells and disarms flying every which way.

Faith's eyes searched for Sirius and Harry and found them by the archway in the middle of the room in a heated duel with Lucius. Harry was doing well, despite his age. It was in those few seconds that Faith was distracted that another Death Eater threw a spell towards her and instead it hit the rocks beside her. The rocks smashed and her ears were ringing as she and Hermione hit the ground from the blast.

Through the high-pitched ringing in her ears then she heard a cry, a curse, her worst nightmare, and as she looked back up towards the archway she saw Lucius on the ground, Harry screaming towards the veil with Remus holding him back, and Sirius's body floating upwards into the distance.

She frowned and when Sirius had finally faded from sight she felt her breath catch in her throat and a sob circulated from somewhere deep inside her. On her knees on the dark rock floor her wand dropped, clattering but Faith heard nothing. It all faded away from her, sound and sight and feeling.

"NO!!!" she screamed as her world fell to pieces.

*~*~*

Vaguely aware of the things happening around her she was lifted and carried by someone with her feet dragging on the floor beneath her. Her shoulders hunched and her strength that had been there before was snatched up from her and she very nearly fainted. She looked back to the archway and there was a hollow emptiness inside her that consumed her very soul.

It must have taken her forever to be moved because she wasn't doing any of it of her own accord. She didn't think she had any will left inside her. In the Ministry of Magic main hall Faith recalled seeing what used to be the great fountain with ornate golden sculptures standing there, but now it was empty. She smiled hazily thinking at least she wasn't the only one that was empty.

She looked around the flurry of wizards in search of her godson. He was with Dumbledore, tucked into the old man's silvery robes. Dumbledore caught her eyes once and she felt the wisdom and truth shining out from them, but at the moment couldn't care less what advice he could lend. She had lost her other half and it would be a long time to come when she wouldn't give a hoot what others said. She had no friends to cheer her, the Aurors would just buck up and push through it, and Harry had bigger things to worry about than crying with her over the loved on they'd lost.

Faith looked at Harry now, his eyes dazed, and she had to blink back the tears she felt welling in her eyes when she realized that he had just lost the only father-figure he would ever likely have. Sirius had been a link to his parents, to his father, and now that link was gone. Though Lily had been Faith's best friend it wasn't for a teenage boy to wish guidance from his mother, or even godmother. It was father and godfather that mattered to a teenage boy and Harry had now lost both.

Harry looked up towards Faith and she couldn't even give him a reassuring smile. The tears she'd been holding back came spilling out and whoever was holding her swept her in their arms and cradled her from falling over. Still looking at Harry through the salty tears she held onto the fraction of life that still might be hers. Harry was still hers, despite the fact that he might not wish it. She had never married Sirius, therefore legally, though she was Harry's godmother, she was still a stranger.

This seemed to make Faith cry even harder and even though she hugged the person comforting her with all her might, she somehow slipped to the floor. The last thing she remembered from that night, from the Ministry of Magic, from the worst night of her life, was the thought that seemed to shatter her heart and soul. Sirius was gone. Forever.


	14. Heaven

**Chapter Fourteen: Heaven**

_2 Months earlier…_

Sirius stood on the topmost floor looking out the window that held a view of all the chimney stacks in Grimmauld Place. In the dawn light with the billowing smoke, it looked a grey world, but on the horizon, just over the roofs and chimneys of London, Sirius glimpsed a rolling hill that was hiding the very first sliver of sunshine. The sun would likely rise and then disappear behind the clouds for the rest of the day. It wasn't very much, but it was a glimmer, and that was all one needed to verify that this world, though dreary and grey for now, had a heaven somewhere.

He heard the floor creak behind him and turned to see Faith standing there watching him. He wished to voice his thoughts on heaven with her just then, but she had the bed-head look to her. Her hair was mussed and her bed clothes were rumpled from sleep. Her eyes were half-open half-shut as she peered at him. She had woken to find out where he had disappeared to.

Standing there in naught but his pajama bottoms and his shoulder-length hair pulled back in a ponytail at the back of his head, a look he didn't fancy but did so when his hair became a nuisance, Faith thought he looked like the most appealing thing in the world right now. He reached out for her and she tucked herself under his arm, close to his warm bare chest, and under his chin.

For a few moments they just stood there in each other's arms, watching as the sun crept slowly higher over the horizon and then dipped under the clouds that covered the London sky.

Sirius sighed, "Until tomorrow morning."

"Hmm," Faith agreed, having nothing more to add to his comment. He was very contemplative lately. She could only assume that the morning light was something he found peace in and she admired that sensibility within him. Instead she sighed to match his and curled her head to look back up at him. "It's early. I might almost imagine you were a nocturnal being but your fascination for sunlight proves otherwise."

Sirius's soft smile lit fires within her that she had only ever experienced with him.

He kissed the top of her head and grabbed her hand. He kissed the palm of her hand before leading her back down the hall towards their room. It was early, he admitted, and they both could use more sleep, but Sirius had no intention of letting her go back to sleep.

At the side of their bed in his newly decorated room, Faith was brought to a halt in front of him. Her hands splayed over his bare chest as he took her by the chin and placed a kiss on her lips, deepening it with each passing second. The tingling in her stomach and her eyelids fluttered at the soft sensation that crept down her spine, to her core and then her knees and then her toes before enveloping her in a complete state of euphoria. Sirius's kisses had always done this to her.

Pushing her gently back onto the bed, never once breaking the kiss he invoked, Sirius could feel her surrender and the tender care that she brought to him when her hands moved from his chest to his shoulders and then around his neck where her fingers started weaving themselves in his hair. He groaned into her mouth as he dropped down on top of her.

Her head on a pillow now, she broke the kiss and looked up into Sirius's blue-grey eyes. She saw in him everything she wasn't and everything she wanted to be. He was her significant other, her better half, and her love for all her life. Since they were children it had been like this. It would be like this, she thought, even after they had died and gone to heaven. She imagined heaven to feel something like this, and she would drift from cloud to cloud with Sirius by her side, making her feel elated and joyous all the time.

"I love you, Sirius Black," she whispered. "I always have and I always will."

"I love you, Faith Duncan, forever and ever, in this life and beyond."

The love they shared that night was something totally new and spectacular. It was a night that Faith would never forget, and unfortunately, a night that Sirius would never come to understand the importance of. But in that night Faith found the reason she would continue to live and a reason she would still be able to keep Sirius forever.

_Three Years Later…_

"He would have wanted it, you know?" she said to the young man standing in front of her. His hands were tightly clasped together as he leaned forward off the bench. His jet-black hair was unruly, as it had always been, and his green eyes lingered on the three-year-old girl running around the small back yard in a pale yellow sun dress that was not as clean as it had been a few minutes ago.

She reached over and placed her old and withering hand on his two in hopes that the physical contact would connect him to her as she had always hoped for. He looked up and saw her Caribbean sea-blue eyes flash with the love and loyalty that she had always given him.

Faith squeezed his hands and looked towards her little girl. Serena Hope Black had dark brown hair that fell in a tumble of curls down her back; the same color as her father's, while her eyes were the color of her mother's, Caribbean sea-blue. She was everything Faith had wished for. The sad truth about her however, was that she would have been a mistake if Sirius had lived. But as it was now, she was the blessing that kept her mother alive.

"Harry," Faith said again, looking beside her at her godson. "Please, it would mean a great deal to me."

Harry looked back up at Faith as he thought over the request she asked of him. It wasn't a very heavy responsibility, but it seemed almost too weird to him. Serena Black was the daughter of his godfather, and now Faith was asking Harry to be Serena's godfather. It was a simple request, and Harry would gladly do it. He was just thinking over the ramifications in his mind. It was likely that Faith would never marry, which meant that in asking Harry to be godfather to her little girl, he would be the only father-figure that Serena would ever know. The corners of his mouth turned up a little bit. He nodded at Faith, "Yes, of course I will be."

"Good. Thank you."

At eighteen, Faith thought that Harry would delight in having a small child in his life, indirectly as she was, because of all the bad things that had happened in his life. He had lost many good friends and family due to the course of his destiny, and he needed to re-experience the innocence he had lost in his youth. Serena was the perfect cure for a lifetime of penance for being marked with a lightening-bolt scar.

Serena came over then and instead of crawling up on Faith's lap, she reached out her little hands and made grabbing motions towards Harry. Harry smiled and stood, picking her up and twirling her around. She made gleeful giggling noises while screaming her new favorite word, "More". Faith watched the two and a spot of nostalgia rose in her throat.

Voldemort was gone now. Harry had defeated him a year ago. Faith had heard the stories, the tales, and everything that had happened that night was steadily and surely becoming legend. She would have been there, fighting side-by-side with her dearest friends who had lost their lives; Remus and Tonks among them, but she had a little girl to look after. Serena was nineteen months old and a handful. Faith had gone into hiding and waited out the storm as Harry had fought for the wizarding world, for which she was very proud of him.

Serena whacked Harry on the head soundly and he feigned falling to the ground and fainting, all the while keeping Serena safe. She rolled off and looked down at her 'sleeping' godfather. She looked up, "Mommy, he okay?"

Faith laughed. "I don't know," she pretended, coming over to stand beside her daughter and peer over Harry's 'sleeping' form.

"Help mommy. He must be okay."

Faith crouched down and playfully poked Harry in the leg. Serena followed suit, with a little more force. Faith poked him again in the side. Again Serena copied her only a little harder. Harry's face grimaced, but Serena didn't notice. Then Faith gestured to her daughter, bringing her close. She whispered in her ear, "Tickle him."

"He is okay?" Serena said excitedly at this newfound cure to Harry's feigned sleep.

Faith nodded her head. "Go on," she encouraged.

Serena first tickled Harry's sides. He didn't budge. Frowning and sticking out her bottom lip she looked back at Faith. Faith chuckled at the face before nodding again, "Keep going. Don't give up."

Serena turned back and tickled him more at his sides. His feet twitched. Serena jumped happily. She continued to tickle his sides before moving to his neck and under his chin. Harry's eyes popped open at the discomfort and he made a growling noise which only made Serena scream more with glee. He rose and continued his growling and then said, "I'm going to get you!" Several high-pitched trills followed as Serena ran and Harry gave chase.

Faith knew that her daughter was in good hands and she stood and walked back into her childhood house. She climbed the stairs to the back porch and her eyes strayed, as they never ceased to do, towards the mansion on the hill. When moving back into her home from Grimmauld Place, she'd thought about purchasing the old Black Manor, but it was far too rich for her blood. Inside she'd probably find too many old relics, just like those that were at Grimmauld Place, and it would remind her too much of Sirius.

There was such thing as enough and too much when remembering Sirius. There were still nights when she cried herself to sleep because she missed his body curled behind hers, or his woody evergreen smell, or the sound of his voice. She had cried for another month after he had died before she realized she was pregnant with his child. This made her tears dissipate and all her hopes lay with the growing being inside of her. She promised to nurture it and love it with everything she had left. It was the one thing she had left of Sirius. She'd carried Serena to term and seen her through the past three years two of war and one of restoration.

Faith knew that her little girl would know peace. Serena would go to school in a new age, would learn the things Faith had when she was young, and grow up without the tests and trials that her generation and Harry's generation and all the generations in between had lived with. Faith hoped that her daughter would never have to live through a war, would never have to suffer a reality where her loved ones were falsely accused, and never have to spend years alone simply waiting. Faith wanted so much more for her.

Her eyes passed over the black windows of the aptly named Black Manor and she headed back into the house. Covering the walls were the magical pictures that existed everywhere in the wizarding world. There were pictures of Faith and Sirius, of Faith and Serena, and several of just Serena alone. Faith would make sure that Serena knew who her father had been and all the things he had done for them. It had ceased to be just 'for Faith' the day that Serena had been born.

Standing over the kitchen sink, Faith looked out over the backyard where Harry and Serena were sitting on the grass in what looked like a deep conversation, though Faith didn't know how deep a conversation could get with a three-year-old. Faith picked up a dirty dish and began to wash it for the lack of something better to do. She looked back up and watched as her little girl stood up and put her arms around Harry's neck, hugging him close. Harry hesitated for a fraction of a second before wrapping his arms around Serena.

The sun touched the horizon just then and a myriad of oranges and pinks and purples spread out over the sky. Faith looked up and saw the first star and knew instinctively that wherever in heaven Sirius was, he was watching over them.

THE END

*~*~*


End file.
